Sushi

We like a good bit of sushi every now and again and it had been awhile since we made any. One of the advantages of having a fish market so close by is that we can pop in there without too much fuss and get some good seafood. After two years of being good and regular customers, we are routinely steered toward the freshest stuff. Today we went with prawns, haddock and some excellent sashimi-grade tuna loin; the best tuna I have purchased in a long time.

Sushi is an art and making good quality sushi has much to do with the rice. Sushi chefs in Japan usually apprentice for 10 years or so before they can be labeled a 'sushi chef'. That said, my skills are elementary at best. I did work up some pretty good rice this time, though, which is the key to making this work.

Going into the technique to making perfect sushi, nigiri or sashimi would take me hours. The best I can do for you right now is to give you my sushi rice recipe and let you crack on with the rest. It's fun to experiment! Read up on assembly on Google!

300 g sushi rice
330 milliliters water
1 postcard-sized piece kombu

VINEGAR MIXTURE
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt

Put the rice in a sieve and submerge in a large bowl of water. Wash it thoroughly and discard the milky water. Keep washing and changing the water until it is clear. Drain the water and leave the rice to stand in the sieve for 30 minutes.

If using kombu, make a few cuts in it to help release its flavor as it cooks.

Put the washed rice and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the kombu, if using, and cover with a tight-fitling lid. Bring to boil over medium heat. Resist the temptation to lift the lid, and listen for the sound of boiling instead. Cook for 3-5 minutes more, and adjust the heat if the saucepan boils over.

Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 8-10 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Lift the lid and discard the kombu.

Heat the ingredients for the vinegar mixture in a non-aluminum saucepan, stirring until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Don't allow it to boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Transfer the cooked rice to a pre-soaked wooden rice tub or salad bowl. Pour a little of the vinegar mixture over a spatula into the rice.

Spread the rice evenly in the tub. Slowly add a little more of the vinegar mixture, using a slicing action to coat the grains of rice and separate them.

Fan the rice gently to cool it. Continue to fold the vinegar mixture into the rice with the spatula until it begins to look glossy and has cooled to room temperature.