Chirashi Sushi

Cuisine: Japanese

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Serves: 2

Chirashi sushi, which translates to “scattered sushi,” is nothing less than art! This Japanese delicacy is loaded with complex flavors; it’s sweet, nutty, and salty, all at once. You can quickly try this Chirashi Sushi recipe at home.

2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
2 tbsp rice vinegar
A few lotus stems
Small piece of ginger
A handful of Shiitake mushrooms
A pinch of sugar
A pinch of kosher salt
Cucumber slices
Two eggs
Tuna as required
Kingfish as required
Snapper as required

Traditional Japanese-style Chirashi Sushi made easy at home!

Rinse 2 cups of sushi rice (for a single serving) in cold water and soak it for 30 minutes. Prepare the rice in a rice cooker.
Prepare the sushi vinegar by whisking 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, and a pinch of kosher salt until the ingredients dissolve. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cool.
Add the sushi vinegar to the cooked rice and mix it well.
Cut some ginger into julienne-style strips. Slice a few lotus stems and soak them in water to prevent them from turning brown.
Rehydrate some shiitake mushrooms by soaking them in 2/3rd cup of water.
Add the shiitake, 1 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp mirin, and soy sauce, and simmer them on low heat.
Beat two eggs with salt and sugar. Preheat a pan on medium, lightly oil it, and pour the eggs to make an omelette. Roll the omelette onto a plate and slice it into thin strips.
Prepare the sashimi by slicing the fish into thin pieces. Wrap the slices and chill them in the refrigerator.
Serve the sushi rice on a big platter or in a large bowl. Spread the mushrooms, lotus stems, omelette strips, and cucumber. Arrange the sashimi on top. Garnish the sushi with sesame seeds.

Chef Tip: Add your touch to this Chirashi sushi recipe by choosing your preferred seafood, such as king salmon, sea scallops, or sea urchin.

Traditionally eaten on Hinamatsuri on Doll's Day in Japan, this delicacy can be enjoyed anytime. You can experiment with textures and flavours. It's a perfect dish to please a large crowd.

Quick Bites

Fun Fact

• The tragedy and devastation brought about by the 1923 earthquake had far-reaching effects and caused the land prices to decline significantly which made the sushi vendors take their stalls indoors.

• The most expensive price ever for a sushi-grade bluefin tuna was $1.8 million for a 222-kilogram fish in Japan, hmm quite pricey!

Historical Fact

• Hanaya Yohei is credited as the inventor or introducer of sushi in Japan close to the mid-1800s, during the end of the Edo period.

• Los Angeles became the first US state to introduce sushi to American food culture. The credit goes to a man named Noritoshi Kanai and his business partner who opened a sushi restaurant in Little Tokyo in 1966.

Nutrition Fact

• Wanna lose some weight? Eat sushi! It's not deep-fried or smothered in sauce, and most types of sushi have no added fat.

• Sushi provides health and long life. Due to the balanced and rich in nutrients diet of the Japanese, the index of life average is particularly high.