CHIRASHI-SUSHI

 

Chirashi - Sushi

With topping of Fish Roe, it tasted just like those we ate in Japanese Restaurant. Wow.

Chirashi is basically a big bowl of rice mixed with fish, vegetables, and additional ingredients of your choice.

I used quite a lot of ingredients for my 1st attempt. 

1. Fish Roe (Ready to eat) that I bought from Donki. 
2. Seaweed that I bought from a Korean Grocery store from Shopee.
3. Makeral Fish that I wanted to cleared from my freezer. 
4. Shredded Egg Omelette that I cooked. 
5. Boiled Sweet Bean.
6. Japanese Pickled Cucumber that I tried for the very first time.
7. Japanese Braised vegetables that I tried for the very first time.
8. Pickled pink ginger that I bought from Donki.
9. Japanese rice mixed with Sushi Mix. The sushi mix was also my 1st attemp preparing it from scratch.

There are quite alot to prepare for this meal. So I made use of my 3 thermal pot to assist me.

From left 

2 liter pot - to braise Japanese Vegetables for rice base.

1.8 liter pot for miso tofu soup (side dish/soup from Charashi)

1.5 liter pot to cook 2 cups of Japanese rice. 

Now - preparation begins.

Item 3, Makeral Fish.

The night before, marinate the fish with some salt and leave it over night in the refrigerator.

I grill it in my bread toaster for 15mins. Smash it up and it is ready to use. 

Fish can be grilled before Charashi preperation.

Item 4, Egg Omelette

I used 2 eggs for 4 person. 

Fry them into thin pancake size. (I made 3 slices)

Cut them into thin stripes after all eggs been cooked.

Item 5, Boiled Sweet Bean

These beans are naturally sweet. 

Wash them clean.

Pull out the fiber from the sides.

Lightly boiled them with a pinch of salt.

Drained and the sweet crunch flavour of sweet bean is ready.

Item 6, Japanese Pickled Cucumber

This crunchy light salted cucumber is addictive.

I have shared the recipe here.

Item 7, Japanese Braised vegetables

This vegetable can be mixed with the rice as the rice based for Charashi Sushi.

My 1st attempt and I did it with whatever vegetables I have at home.

I realised the Braised Vegetable Sauce is very important for this dish.

Also, we need to taste the mixture before putting the whole mix to boil as what we taste from the gravy is equivalent to the flavour of the vegetables after cooking.

I drain off the gravy after cooking as I only want the vegetables.

So, placing just enough water for vegetables to absorb the sauce is good enough for cooking.

The vegetables can also be used as a side dish for daily meals.

Check out here on the recipe for Braised Vegetables, the Japanese Way

Item 9, Lastly and most importantly, Japanese rice mixed with Sushi Mix. I called this step the creation of Vegetable Chirashi Sushi Rice Base.

It is best to cook rice before preparation of all other ingredients. 

The sushi mix was also my 1st attempt preparing it from scratch.

I cook Japanese Rice the same like I cook normal rice. Perhaps the weather make a difference.

Just remember to wash the rice clean until the water is not so milky.

I used a electric rice pot to measure the water. (Instead of using my finger to measure 1:1)

Then I transfer to my thermal inner pot to cook. (My preference). Like I say, you may use a normal rice cooker to cook Japanese rice the normal way.

If you like to try cooking in Thermal Pot, here are the steps.

Wash the rice, measure enough water for cooking.

Remember to stir them while cooking so that the rice will not stick to the base when cooking.

Once the rice mixture boil at high heat. Turn off the heat and transfer the inner pot to be place in the Thermal Outer Pot immediately. It takes 1 hour for it to be cooked using its heat retained in the Thermal Pot.

Now the sauce Sushi Rice Mix. Click here to check out the recipe.

Preparation of Sushi Rice. This form the rice base for the Chirashi Sushi.

1. Bring out the cooked rice to leave it cool.
2. I started to add the Sushi Rice Mix sauce to the loosen rice when it is in warm temperature (Not hot). 
3. Ensure it is thoroughly mix and the sauce is incorporated into the rice evenly.
4. Add in drained vegetables prepared from Item 7.
5. Mix them.  
6. When the rice base is ready, we are ready to create our own Chirashi Sushi Bowl.

It is not difficult. Once all the ingredients are ready, we just need to plate them nicely before we enjoy.

1. Scoop Chirashi Sushi Rice base (Item 9) into a rice bowl.
2. Top with shredded makeral fish (Item 3). Spread them out on top of the rice.
3. Spread topping with shredded egg omelette (Item 4).
4. Spread topping with shredded seaweed.
5. Topped with Sweet bean, pickled cucumber, pickled pink ginger and fish roe. (Item 5,6,8 and 1)

Here is the Chirashi Sushi bowl created.

Good to enjoy it with wasabi with soy sauce.

For easy meal, you may cut down the ingredients. 

I think the sushi mix and the Japanese rice is the main ingredients that we cannot omit. LOL.

For my family, the highlight of this meal is the fish roe that made it just like a bowl of Chirashi Sushi rice that we enjoyed in a Japanese Restaurant.

Enjoy!!!

My dinner with my 3 helpers.