Chirashi Sushi Bowl

Ingredients

• 300 g Japanese short-grain sushi rice
• 360 ml water, for cooking the rice
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar, for the rice
• 1 tsp fine salt, for the rice
• 300 g salmon fillet, skinless, patted dry
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, for the salmon
• ½ tsp fine salt, for the salmon
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, for the salmon
• 200 g medium prawns, peeled and deveined
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp sugar, for the egg
• 1 tsp light soy sauce, for the egg
• 1 tsp neutral oil, for the omelette pan
• 1 cucumber, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1 nori sheet, cut into thin strips with scissors
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp pickled ginger
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 3 tbsp soy sauce, for serving
• 1 tsp wasabi paste, optional

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice in a bowl of cold water, swirling and draining, until the water runs almost clear. Drain well, then leave it in the saucepan with the 360 ml water to soak.
2. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to the lowest heat and cook, still covered, until the water is absorbed and small steam holes appear on the surface. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
3. Turn off the heat and leave the pan covered so the rice finishes steaming. Meanwhile, stir the vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
4. Tip the hot rice into a wide bowl. Pour over the vinegar mixture and fold gently with a cutting motion, without mashing. Fan the rice for a minute or two until it looks glossy and is just warm, then cover with a damp cloth.
5. Season the salmon all over with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the salmon for 3 minutes per side, until golden outside and opaque throughout (63°C inside). Rest it, then flake or slice into bite-size pieces.
6. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and cook the prawns for about 2 minutes, until pink, curled and opaque. Drain and cool, then halve them lengthwise if large.
7. Beat the eggs with 1 tsp sugar and the light soy sauce. Wipe the clean pan with 1 tsp oil over medium-low heat and pour in half the egg to make a thin omelette. Cook about 1 minute until set, flip briefly, and slide out. Repeat with the rest.
8. Roll the cooled omelettes and slice into thin ribbons. Divide the rice among four bowls and arrange the salmon, prawns, egg ribbons, cucumber and avocado on top.
9. Finish with nori strips, spring onions, pickled ginger and sesame seeds. Serve at once with soy sauce and wasabi on the side.

Tips

• Rinse the rice until the water is nearly clear; this keeps the grains separate and not gluey.
• Fold the vinegar into the rice while it is still hot so it absorbs the seasoning, and use a wooden or plastic spoon.
• Cut the cucumber and avocado last so they stay fresh and bright.
• Cook the salmon fully and cook prawns until opaque; this recipe is made without any raw fish.