If you’re a sushi fan, why not try making it yourself at home? You can prepare it in advance, it’s surprisingly simple, and it looks really impressive. You can now buy packets of special sushi rice, mirin, nori and wasabi in most supermarkets.
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 30 mins (plus 10 mins chill) Cook Time: 10-15 mins Calories: 400kcals Steps: 3 and 4
Ingredients
225g short-grain sushi rice (raw weight) 2 tbsp rice vinegar 2 tsp mirin (sodium-free) ½ cucumber 3 sheets nori seaweed 150g thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into long strips 2 tsp wasabi paste A small bunch of chives Japanese sweet soy sauce to serve
Japanese salad:
200g frozen edamame beans, defrosted 2 carrots, cut into long thin matchsticks 2 spring onions, cut into long thin strips 8 radishes, thinly sliced 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar Juice of ½ lime 1 garlic clove, crushed (optional) A few drops of liquid artificial sweetener 2 tsp black or white sesame seeds
Directions
1. Cook the rice according to the directions on the packet – it will take 10–15 minutes until it’s tender and all the water has been absorbed. Stir in the rice vinegar and mirin, then cover the pan and set aside until the rice is at room temperature.
2. Peel the cucumber, then cut it in half lengthways and discard the seeds. Cut each cucumber half along its length into long thin strips.
Place the nori sheets, shiny side down, on a bamboo sushi mat (if you have one) or work surface covered with cling film. Divide the cooled rice between the sheets, spreading it out evenly but not right up to the edges. Leave a 1cm border along the long edges.
3. Arrange the salmon slices on top of the rice and dot with the wasabi paste. Add the long cucumber strips and the chives. Using the cling film and sushi mat (if you have one) to help you, lift the long bottom edge of each nori sheet over the smoked salmon filling and roll up towards the top, pressing down firmly as you do so. When you get to the top, you may need to brush it lightly with some water to seal it. Repeat with the other sheets to make 3 rolls.
4. Leave to rest, wrapped in cling film, for at least 10 minutes or chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
5. Meanwhile, make the Japanese salad: mix together the edamame beans, carrots, spring onions and radishes in a bowl. In a small bowl or jug, beat together the soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice and garlic (if using). Sweeten to taste with artificial sweetener and stir in the sesame seeds. Use to dress the salad.
6. Just before serving, slice each sushi roll into 8 rounds. Serve with the Japanese salad and some sweet soy sauce for sprinkling or dipping.
Step it up…
On Step 5 serve each portion of sushi and salad with a griddled 80g fresh tuna steak. This will add 1.5g fat per serving.