Festive Chirashi Sushi

Festive chirashi sushi with seasoned rice, salmon, prawns, egg and colourful vegetables arranged over the top.

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Chirashi means scattered sushi; careful rice seasoning and neat toppings create an impressive dish without the rolling skills needed for maki.

Ingredients

• 450 g Japanese short-grain rice
• 80 ml rice vinegar
• 40 g caster sugar
• 1.5 tsp fine salt
• 250 g sashimi-grade salmon (sliced)
• 180 g cooked prawns
• 3 eggs (beaten)
• 1 cucumber (thinly sliced)
• 1 avocado (sliced)
• 2 sheets nori (shredded)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 60 g pickled ginger (to serve)
• soy sauce (to serve)

Step-by-step method

1. Rinse and cook the rice according to the packet or rice-cooker instructions, then let it rest covered for 10 minutes.
2. Warm the rice vinegar, sugar and salt just enough to dissolve the sugar. Do not boil.
3. Transfer the hot rice to a wide bowl and fold in the vinegar mixture with a slicing motion so you do not mash the grains. Cool to room temperature.
4. Cook the beaten eggs as a thin omelette in a lightly oiled pan, cool and slice into fine strips.
5. Spread the seasoned rice on a large platter and scatter over the sesame seeds and nori.
6. Arrange the salmon, prawns, cucumber, avocado and egg attractively over the rice rather than mixing them in.
7. Serve immediately with soy sauce and pickled ginger, keeping the seafood chilled until assembly.