Sushi Art Cookbook: The Complete Guide to Kazari Maki Sushi

SUSHIARTCOOKBOOK

TheCompleteGuidetoKazariSushi

KENKAWASUMI

TUTTLEPublishingTokyo|Rutland,Vermont|Singapore

What is Kazari Sushi?

Amorikomimixedsushiarrangementthatcelebratesthespringseason.

I coined the term “Kazari Sushi”—literally “decorative sushi”—todescribe traditional or decorative sushi made into artful shapes withvarious methods, including saikuzushi layered sushi, nigirizushi sushinuggets,chirashizushiscatteredsushi,andoshizushipressedsushi.Evenasingle roll or serving will be a welcome addition to a dish, and thesefestivesushirollsareagreatwaytocelebratebyincorporatingseasonalorevent-basedthemes.Asan innovativewaytoenjoysushi, it’scertainto be amuch-appreciated epicurean delight for both the chef and theguest.

ANoteforSushiProfessionalsKazariSushiwillenhanceyourmenu offerings for seasonal events and celebrations.Making an entireplatter of decorative sushi for a partymay be too time-intensive; still,creating, for example, a single roll featuring the Chinese character for“celebrate” will yield four impressive slices. By placing one slice in thecenter of each five-serving platter, you can embellish twenty servings’worthofsushi.Apandadesignmaybegreatforkids,andaflowermotif

could complement a wedding or anniversary celebration. For an olderperson’s birthday, the Chinese character for “crane” might beappropriate.Thesedecorative additionswill be cause formuch fanfareandcommemorativephoto-taking.KazariSushiisagreatwaytoelevateanyoccasion.

Sharpening Your Skills Kazari Sushi can range from easy tocomplex.Startwithasimplerollandgraduallyworkyourwayupinskilllevel.

Attempting a difficult design from the outset could result in anoutcomethat is less than ideal,whichmaybediscouraging.Beginwithbasic skills such as rolling a circle, making a mountain, and formingcurved contours. As you practice the various types of sushi, they willbecomesecondnature.

Layeredsushiandothercreativesushiexpressionsrequirejustafewextrastepsthatsushichefsarealreadyusingonadailybasis.Wheneveryouhaveafewsparemoments,experimentwithingredientsonhandandtestoutdifferentflavorcombinationsasyouacquirenewskills.

Kawasumi-Style Kazari Sushi Some sushi chefs may wonderwhethermakingKazariSushiorlayeredsushiwillnegativelyaffecttheirbottomline,orwhetherthelackofseasonalingredientsintheserollswilldiminishtheirappeal.Othersmayexclaim,“Sushishouldbesimple!”

IbelieveinupholdingtheculinarytraditionsofJapanesesushiintheform of decorative sushi that can be easily prepared in restaurantfacilities.Firstandforemost,though,myaimistoamazeanddelightmycustomerswithamealthat’sdelicious.

To achieve this, preparations and proper steps are important.Calculatetheconsumptiontime,selectingredientsthatwillholdupoverlongerperiods,maintainthetemperatureofthesushirice,andaddtheraw ingredients at the end. Keeping these factors inmind will ensurethat your sushi creations look and taste wonderful. And experiencing

thisunique creative expressionof sushiwillmake customers and sushimakersalikeintofansofKazariSushi.

MyultimategoalisforKazariSushicustomerstodeclareitbeautifulandtasty.Inthatsense,Iamstilllearninganddevelopingmyownformofdecorativesushi.Feedbackfromusersofthisbook,andlearningabouttheircreations,willhelpmetocontinuedevelopingmyskills.Thesedaysit’seasytoacquire freshseafoodandsushi-specificcookingsupplies,sotheenthusiastichomecookwillhavenotroubledelvingintotheKazariSushitechniques.Ihopethisbookwillbringjoytoeveryoneinvolvedinthecreationprocess,fromthosewhomakeittothosewhoconsumetheedibleart.

KenKawasumiDirectorofKawasumiKazariSushiAssociation

ContentsBeforeYouBegin

HandlingEquipmentandIngredients

BasicRecipes

IngredientsandSubstitutions

CHAPTER1Basic Sushi Rolls and Simple ShapesCHAPTER2Amazing Decorative Sushi RollsCHAPTER 3 Creative Sashimi, Battleship Rollsand MoreCHAPTER4Sushi Arrangements

Before You BeginThedecorativeandcreativetechniquesforcreatingKazariSushirollsfeaturedinthisbookareintendedforprofessionalsushichefs,aswellasaspiringsushichefsandhomecooksinterestedinKazariSushimethods.

FundamentalsBasicTechniquesforMakingKazari

SushiRollsUnliketypicalsushirolls,KazariSushirollswithdesignstendtobelarger,withintricatedetailsthatrequireparticulartechniques.Frompreparingtheingredientstocuttingtherolls,thissectioncontainsallthekeyinformationyou’llneed.

HowtoPreparetheIngredientsPriortostarting,gatheralltheingredients in the required amounts.Youneed tobe able to focusonthe construction of the rolls without running the risk of missingingredientsorhaving insufficientamounts.Thebasicmeasurementofthenoriused inthebook isahalf-sheet; that is,asheetofnoricut inhalf lengthwise (thewidthwill be approximately4 inches /10.5 cm).Always cut the other ingredient lengths to correspond to this norilength.It’sagood ideatokeepamixtureofwaterandvinegarnearbyfor your hands and kitchen knives. The water and vinegar mixturekeepsyourhandsandknifefromstickingtotherice.

SushiRiceRefer topage8 for abasic sushi rice recipe.ForKazariRolls,specificcoloringingredientsaremixedinwiththericetogiveitdifferent hues. Depending on the ingredients, the distribution andintensity of the color will vary, so pay attention as you blend thecoloringingredientwiththerice,adjustingtheamountofthecoloringingredient accordingly. Furthermore, due to theway certain rolls arecrafted,thedesignmaynotshowupaswellwhenthere isnotenoughrice in the rolls, somakesure topreparemore rice than the recipeor

instructionscallfor.

Ingredientsusedforcoloringsushirice

oboroflakes;tarakosaltedpollockroe;mentaikospicedroe;tobikoflying-fishroe;umeboshipaste;veryfinelygratedbeetroot(useaMicroplaneormini-grater),saltedandsqueezedtoremoveexcessmoisture

aminotsukudani(tinyshrimpsimmeredinsoysauce)or

othertsukudanivariations(seepage10);KanpyoSimmered

Gourd(seepage10);torisoboroSimmeredGroundChicken(seepage10)

Yellow

choppedJapaneseOmelette;

takuanpickleddaikon;tumeric;veryfinelygratedcarrot(useaMicroplaneormini-grater)seasonedwithsaltandlemon,thensqueezedtoremoveexcessmoisture

blacksesameseeds;yukari(driedshisopowder);kombu

tsukudani

aonorilaverflakes;mincednozawanapickledmustardgreens;spinachorothergreensbrieflyblanchedinboilingsaltedwater,squeezeddry,andfinelychopped

bettarazukewhitepickleddaikon;whitesesameseeds;

kamabokofishcake;surimiartificialcrab;smokedtofu

Thoroughlymix the coloring ingredients into the sushi rice so that the color isevenlydistributed.Adda littleatatimeandgradually increaseitwhilegaugingthe color. Make sure not to crush the rice grains as you mix in the coloringingredient.

Measurethedesignatedportionsofriceinadvance,lightlypressingtherequiredamountintoaballandsetaside.Thiswayyouwillnotneedtostopinthemidstofassemblingarolltomeasureouttheotherportionsoftherice.

PreparingtheNoriSeaweedSheetsTheKazariRollsfeaturedinthisbookareallbasedonahalf-sheetofnori;that is,afull8x7½inch (21 x 19 cm) sheet cut lengthwise. If you purchase pre-cut halfsheetsthatmeasure4x7½inches(10.5x19cm),omitthelengthwisecut.Where½ofahalfsheetisspecified,thisisahalf-sheetcutinhalfcrosswise; “⅔ half-sheet” indicates a half-sheet cut crosswise to two-thirdsof itsoriginal length.Prepareallnoripiecesbycuttingthemtotherequiredsizebeforestartingtoconstructtherolls.

Prepare accurately cut nori pieces. A ruler or cutting board with printedmeasurementsishandyforprecisionwork.

Iftheinstructionscallfor1½sheetsofnori,youwillbeattachingthetwopiecesof nori together, using a bit of mashed rice as “glue,” to create an extendedpiece.

Useful Equipment and Tools for MakingKazari RollsHere is a list of helpful tools and equipment formeasuring,weighing,decorating,etc.

VarioussushimatsⒶHalf-sizedmatspecificallyusedformakingKazariRolls,

whichgenerallyusehalf-sheetsofnori.

ⒷStandardsushimat.ⒸMatformakingthinrolls(hosomaki).Findonethatiseasiestforyoutouse.

CuttingboardwithprintedmeasurementsWithprintedmeasuringlinesin¼-inch or 1-cm increments, this cutting board is useful for cutting nori andshapingsushirice.

Digital scale It’s best to use a digital scale for measuring ingredientsaccurately.Somemodelshavea“tare”functionthatallowsyoutosubtracttheweightofthepackaging.Selectonethatcanmeasureinouncestothehundredthplace,orin1-gramunits.

RulerHelpfulformeasuringthingslikethesizeofingredientsandtheheightofsushi-rice“mountains.”A6-inch(15-cm)rulerissufficient.

BambooskewersBambooskewersareveryhandyforplacingnoripiecesorother small design elements used as a finishing touch for Kazari Rolls. Thethinnessoftheskewersmakesthemeasiertousethanchopsticks.

Nori punches This is a convenient tool to cut various shapes like eyes andmouthsoutofnori.Ifyou’reluckyenoughtolivenearalargeJapanesemarket,youmightfindnoripunchesthere,nearotherbentosupplies.Noripunchescanalsobepurchasedonline.

CraftscissorsCraftscissors,usuallysmallerthantheaveragekitchenscissors,areusefulfordetailedcutting.

Best Practices and Professional TipsUnlike conventional sushi, Kazari Sushi tends to be more involved,whichmayrequiremoreequipmentandsupplies.Propermaintenanceandextraattentiontodetailarenecessaryatalltimes.Hereareafewbest-practicepointerstodeliverdelicioussushisafelyandeasily.

Handling the IngredientsInadditiontousingtypicalsushiingredients,KazariSushiincorporatesprocessed ingredients such as kamaboko fish cake as well as freshproduce.Storeeachingredientinadesignatedcontainerandkeepthemseparate. Make sure to securely close the container lids. Someingredientsneedtoberefrigerated,frozenorkeptinacool,darkplace.Be aware of the expiration dates and try to use up the ingredients assoonaspossible.

●Storerawfoods,processedgoodsandfreshproduceseparately.

●Do notmix ingredients in containers or use tools onmore than one type ofingredient (e.g., don’t use a knife to cut raw fish and then use it to cutprocessedfood).

●Wipeoffanymoistureorcondensationandwrapingredientsinpapertowels,clothorplasticwraptopreventleaking

●WhenKazariRollsincluderawseafoodaswellasothertypesof ingredients,preparetheingredientsinseparatecontainers

●Keeprawingredientsintherefrigeratoruntilyouarejustabouttousethem.

Practice Good HygieneWhile constructingKazariRolls, your handswill frequently get dirtyfrom adding color to sushi rice or from working on small, detailed

elements. Consistently wash your hands, and when you handle rawfoods,makesure torinseyourhands thoroughlybeforemovingon tothe next step.The same goes for knives and cutting boards.Diligenthygienemaintenanceisvital.Rememberalsotosystematicallyworkoningredients by type, such as simmered components, raw components,etc.Alwaysuselatexkitchenglovesifyouhaveanycutsorinjuriesonyourhands.Regularly replacehand towels and thewater and vinegarmixtureusedforwettinghandsandknives.Toworkasefficientlyandquicklyaspossible,preparewell,beconsciousofhowyouhandlefoodandequipment,andkeephoningyourskills.

●Keepyourhandsandequipmentclean.

●Havedesignatedcuttingboardsandtoolsfordifferenttasks.

●When cooking with gloves, do not use the same gloves for different tasksunlessyouwashyourhands(andgloves)betweensteps.

●Formoreinvolveddishes,trytoaddrawingredientsattheendandplanyourstepsaccordingly.

●Work quickly and do not leave completed dishes at room temperature forprolongedperiods.

Sushi rice does not stick to embossed gloves, so these are handy for sushi-making.Donotuseyourcookingglovesforothertasks.

Maintaining Your Equipment

Equipmentandtoolsrequireafewstepsinadditiontocleansing.Theymustbefreeofmoistureandfullydry;theyneedtobedisinfectedandsterilized. Sushimatswill getmoldy if they are not dried thoroughlyafterwashing.Spongesandwashclothsfordishwashingshouldbekeptseparate from those used for food preparation. Wring out as muchwateraspossibleaftereachuse.

●Assoonasyouaredoneusingapieceofequipmentoratool,washanddryit.

●Cleanthesushimatwithadishwashingscrubberanddryitthoroughly.

●Changehandtowelsfrequently;bleachordisinfectaftereachuse.

●Verify that the refrigerator and freezer temperatures are accurate; keep thehandlesclean.

●Keepspongesandscrubbersclean.

Rolling TechniquesSincethebeautyofKazariRollsliesinthebalanceoftheircompositionanddesign,mostoftherollsarenotformedbysimplyrotatingthesushimatfromfronttoback.Instead,thesushimatandsushiisturnedtotheside, and the shape is adjusted by looking at the cross-section andcontentsattheopenendoftheroll.Carefullyfollowingeachstepoftheassembly instructions (e.g. the layering order of ingredients, how tospreadthesushirice)willyieldsuperiorresults.

Tospreadsushiriceacrossalargernorisurface,dividetherequiredamountofriceintomultipleequal-sizedportionsandlaythemonthenoriwithalittlespace

betweeneachportion.Thenfillinthespacebygentlyspreadingeachportiontocreateonebigevensurfaceof rice.Sushi ricemixedwithcoloring ingredientstendstobemoredifficulttospread,sothistechniqueworksparticularlywellfortintedsushirice.

To accurately shape and cut ingredients used as design elements to precisesizes,suchasstripsofsushirice(SmileyFaceRollsonpage33)or“mountains”ofsushirice(TulipRollsonpage40),acuttingboardwithprintedmeasurementsisveryhelpful.

Tobeginrolling,hold thesushimat inonehandwith thepalmcurved.Keepaneyeontheelementstomakesuretheshapesarenotgettingdistortedorshifted,andapplypressureevenlyandfirmlyfrombothsidesofthesushimat.

Once the ends of the nori have overlapped and the roll is closed, adjust theshape.Turn thesushimatandviewfromthesideasyouadjust theshapewithbothhands.Thisisparticularlyessentialforroundedandraindrop-shapedrolls.

Forasemicircleorsquareroll,placetherollonadrycuttingboardoncethenorihas sealed the roll closed. Place the sushi mat on top and press to form thedesiredshape.

As you refine the shapewith the sushimat, place the palm of your hand or acleanclothover theopeningof theroll tokeep it flatandtoprevent thefillingsandcontentsfrompoppingout.

Cutting TechniquesThe Kazari Rolls in this book are generally sliced into four pieces.Cleancutsareessential forthedesigntoshowupclearly.Useaverysharp knife, and dampen the blade with a mixture of water andvinegar before slicing through the roll with small back-and-forthsawing motions. After making each cut, place the knife on a stablesurfaceandwipethebladethoroughlywithaclothbeforedippingitinthevinegarwateragain.

Dipthetipof thekitchenknife into thewaterandvinegarmixtureandquicklystandtheknifeuprighttoallowtheliquidtoflowdowntheblade.Thenpressaclothtothebladetowipeoffexcessmoisture.

Insertthekitchenknifeintotherollasiftobarelyslicethesurface.Usesmallsawingmotionstogentlycutthroughtherestoftheroll.

Aftereachslice,wipedownthebladewithacloth,thendipitinthewaterandvinegarmixtureagain.

Basic RecipesThefollowingrecipesarestapleitemsusedinmanyKazariSushirolls.Inmanycases,onlyasmallamountofagiveningredientiscalledfor,butleftoverscanberefrigeratedorfrozenforlateruse.Planahead—ifyou’remakingsushiforapartyorlargegroup,trytomakerollswithcommoningredientsinordertominimizewaste.

Making Delicious Sushi RiceWhenenjoyingsushi,thefreshnessandpreparationofthetoppingstendtotakecenterstage,butthesushiricethatformsthefoundationisvitaltotheoveralltaste.ForKazariRollsinparticular,sushiriceisoftenthestar,sobeextramindfulofstartingwithandmakingthebestpossiblesushirice.Let’sbeginwithricebasics.

As the foundationofKazariSushi, properlyprepared sushi rice isthemostessentialbasic ingredient.Usericedesignatedspecifically forsushi, anduse only rice vinegar in the sushi seasoning.Don’t use anymetalinpreparingseasonedsushirice.Turnthericeoutintoaceramic,wooden,orplasticbowl,anduseawoodenorplasticricepaddletomixthe seasoning into the rice. Have an assistant fan the rice withnewspaper as you mix in the seasoning. The finished rice should beglossyandabletoreadilyclumptogether,withamild,“moreish”flavor.

Cooking Sushi RiceAlthoughthericeusedisspecifictosushi,thecookingstepsdon’tdifferallthatmuchfrompreparingregularrice.Themaindifferenceisthatsushiriceiscookedwithslightlylesswatertoyieldfirmerrice.Theinstructionsbelowareforusingaricecooker.Ifpreparingsushiriceonthestovetop,followtheinstructionsonthepackage.

1 Measure thecorrectamountofuncooked rice intoabowlorcontainer.Add

plentyofwater towash thegrains, thendrain.Don’tswish the ricearound toovigorously, as it may break the rice grains. Rinse several times, draining thewatercompletelyeachtime.

2 Letsitinastrainerforabout15minutestoallowthewatertodrain.3 Pourthewashedriceintothericecookerandaddanequalamountofwater(1cupof rice=1cupofwater). Ifpossible, let the ricesoak for10 to20minutesbeforecooking.

4 Oncethericeiscooked,allowittosteaminthecoveredpotorricecookertofullyabsorballthewater.

Newlyharvested ricecontainsmoremoisture. If you’reusing “newcrop” rice,reducetheamountofcookingwaterbyabout10percent.Theamountofsoakingtime needed will depend on the season: it will be shorter in the summer andlongerinthewinter.

Making Seasoned VinegarSeasonedvinegarforsushiismadebydissolvingsaltandsugarintoricevinegar.Alwayspreparetheseasonedvinegarinadvance.Youcanadjusttheproportionsofingredientstosuityourowntastesandthoseofyourguests,aswellasthetypeofsushiyouaremaking.Thetablesontheoppositepageprovidemeasurementguidelines.

Adding the Seasoned VinegarThericeneedstobewarmtofullyabsorbtheseasonedvinegar,soit’simportanttoaddthemixtureassoonasthesteamingstepiscomplete.Gentlyfoldinandevenlydistributetheseasonedvinegarwithoutcrushingthericegrains.Conventionalricecookersincludethesteamingstepwiththecookingtime,soyoucanaddtheseasoningassoonasthericeisdonecooking.

●Letthecookedricesteamforabout20minutesinthericecookerorcoveredpotbeforeaddingtheseasonedvinegar.

●Useawoodenricepaddletogentlymixthericeandseasonedvinegar.

●Quicklyandevenlydistributethevinegartocoateverygrainofrice.

●Coolwithafanwhenthericevinegarhasbeenthoroughlymixedin.

●Oncethesushiriceisready,transferittoawoodenbowlorricetubandcoverwithatightlywrungoutdampclothtoretaintherice’smoisture.Usewithin4hours.

Sushi Rice GuidelinesIt’sbesttomaketheseasonedvinegarinadvancesothatthesaltandsugarcanfullydissolveandenrichtheflavor.Thetablesbelowshowhowyoucanvarythequantitiesofsalt,sugarandricevinegar(combinedinadvanceandaddedafterthecookedricehasfinishedsteaming)toachieveslightvariationsinflavorsuitablefordifferenttypesofsushi.Theplasticmeasuringcupincludedwithmostricecookersis1go,atraditionalmeasurefordryriceequivalentto¾cupor180g.

MildlySeasonedSushiRiceFornigirisushi,ballsushi,everydaysushi,andsushiwithstronglyflavoredingredientssuchasvinegaredormarinatedfish

UncookedRice

Water Salt Sugar RiceVinegar Yield

¾cup/180g

¾cup/180ml

⅔teaspoon

2⅓teaspoons

5teaspoons(25ml)

about1½cups/300g

1½cups/360g

1½cups/360ml

1½teaspoons

5teaspoons3tablespoonsplus1teaspoon(50ml)

about3cups/600g

3¾cups/900g

3¾cups/900ml

1tablespoon

4tablespoons

8½tablespoons(125ml)

about7½cups/1.5kg

StandardSushiRicePerfectforanytypeofsushi,includingrolledsushiUncookedRice

¾cup/180g

¾cup/180ml

⅔teaspoon

1tablespoon

5teaspoons(25ml)

about1½cups/300g

1½cups/360g

1½cups/360ml

1½teaspoons

2tablespoons

3tablespoonsplus1teaspoon(50ml)

about3cups/600g

3¾cups/900g

3¾cups/900ml

1tablespoon

4⅔tablespoons

about7½cups/1.5kg

SweetSushiRiceTypicallyusedinwesternJapan,aswellasforpressedsushi.Kidslikeit,too!

Uncooked Water Salt Sugar RiceVinegar Yield

¾cup/180g

¾cup/180ml

⅔teaspoon

2teaspoons5teaspoons(25

ml)about1½cups/300g

1½cups/360g

1½cups/360ml

1½teaspoons

4teaspoons3tablespoonsplus1teaspoon(50ml)

about3cups/600g

3¾cups/900g

3¾cups/900ml

1tablespoon

3tablespoons

about7½cups/1.5kg

StrongSushiRiceBestforvegetablesushiandinsushiwherethericeisfeaturedprominently

UncookedRice

¾cup/180g

¾cup/180ml

⅔teaspoon

2⅓teaspoons

2tablespoons(30ml)

about1½cups/300g

1½cups/360g

1½cups/360ml

1½teaspoons

2tablespoons

4tablespoons(60ml)

about3cups/600g

3¾cups/900g

3¾cups/900ml

1tablespoon

4tablespoons

9tablespoons(135ml)

about7½cups/1.5kg

Kanpyo Simmered GourdDriedkanpyo,whichlooksabitlikefettuccine,isavailableinAsianmarkets.ItcanoftenbefoundprecookedintherefrigeratedordelisectionofaJapanesemarket,butyoucanalsomakeyourownbyfollowingthisrecipe.

1oz (25 g) driedkanpyo Salt for rubbing (about 2 teaspoons)½cup(120ml)sake2tablespoonssoysauce1tablespoonsugar1 Washthedriedkanpyo under coldwater, then ruball overwith salt.Withoutrinsing,coverwithcoldwaterandsoakovernight (alternately,pourboilingwateroverandletstand10minutes),thendrain.

2 Combine thesake,soysauceandsugar inasmallsaucepanandplaceovermedium-low heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and then add the drained kanpyo.Simmerfor5minutes,thenremovefromheatandletstandfor30minutes.

3 Drainanduse.Makesabout4ounces(120g)simmeredkanpyo.

Japanese OmeletteIfyou’reluckyenoughtolivenearalargeJapanesemarket,youcanprobablyfindpremadeJapaneseomelettenearthesushicase.It’snottoohardtomakeyourown,though.

1teaspoonsugar1teaspoonsoysauce1teaspoonmirinPinchsalt1Combineallingredientsinabowlandwhipwithaforkorchopsticksto blend. Have a piece of paper towel handy before you begincooking.

2 Adda littleoil toamediumskilletovermedium-highheat.Holding thepapertowelwithcookingchopsticks,spreadtheoiloverthepansurface.Whentheoilishot,pourinjustenoughoftheeggmixturetomakeathinlayer.Whentheeggjustbeginstoset,usethechopstickstorollitovertothesideofthepan.

3 Addalittlemoreoil,spreadingitwiththepapertowel.Againaddeggtomakeathinlayer,liftingthecookedeggsothenewmixturegoesunderneath.Whenitbegins toset, roll thepreviouslycookedeggupwith itandpush the roll to theside.

4 Oil thepanagainandrepeat,rollingthepreviouslycookedeggtogetherwiththe new each time, until you have used all the egg mixture (5 to 7 times,dependingonpansize).

5 Removefromheatandtransfer toacleancuttingboard.Whencool,cut intobarsofthesizespecifiedintherecipe.

Simmered Ground ChickenThisflavorful

ingredientiscalledtorisoboroinJapaneseandconsistsofgroundchickenthatisstir-friedandthensimmeredinsweetenedricewine,soysauceandgingeruntildry.

1 tablespoonvegetableoil8oz (250g)groundchicken1 tablespoonsake2tablespoonssugar1tablespoonmirin2tablespoonssoysauce

1tablespoongratedginger,withjuice1 Addtheoiltoaskilletovermediumheat.Whenhot,addthechickenandcookuntil it isalmostcookedthrough,stirringandbreakingupintosmallpieces.

2 Addthesake,sugar,andmirin,andstirwell.Addthesoysauce,continuingtostir and break the chicken up into small pieces.When themeat is thoroughlybrokenup,addthegratedgingerandjuice,andcontinuecookinguntilallliquidisabsorbed.Removefromheatandsetasidetocool.Leftovermeatmaybefrozenforfutureuse.

Tsukudani Sweet Soy and MirinSimmered IngredientsTherecipesinthisbookcallforaminotsukudani,whicharetinyshrimpsimmeredinasweetsoysauce.ThiscanoftenbefoundintherefrigeratedordelisectionataJapanesemarket.Therearemanyvariations,however:tsukudanicanalsobemadewithdriedbabysardines(chirimenjako),shreddedsimmeredkombu,hijikiorwakameseaweed,choppedclams,orotheringredients.Thisrecipemakesabout½cup(100g).

2 tablespoonsmirin2 tablespoonssugar2 tablespoonssoysauce½teaspoonthinlyshreddedginger½cup(150g)smalldriedshrimp,dried baby sardines, kombu,wakameor other ingredient, soakedor simmered until tender, then drained well 1 teaspoon toasted

white sesame seeds 1 Combine themirin, sugar, soy sauce andginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugardissolves,thenaddyourchoseningredient.

2 Continuetocook,stirringconstantly,untilthesaucethickensandtheitemsaresoft,thenremovefromheatandstirinthetoastedwhitesesameseeds.

3 Chopthetsukudanifinelybeforeaddingtothesushirice.

Ingredients and SubstitutionsThefollowingingredientsarestaplesinKazariSushibecauseoftheirversatility,color,andflavor.Ifyoudon’thaveanAsianmarketnearby,trylookingfortheseitemsontheinternet.

AonorilaverflakesAonoriisdeepgreen,withamildseaweedflavor.ThesefineflakesareavailableinAsianmarkets.Ifyoucan’tobtainaonori,useveryfinelychoppedparsleyleavesinstead.

BambooleavesAvailableonlineandinAsianmarkets,freshbambooleavesareuseddecoratively insushipresentations.Substitutefreshherbsforcutbambooleavesifnecessary.

BettarazukewhitepickleddaikonWhitepickleddaikon is not driedbefore pickling, so it hasmoremoisturethanthemorecommontakuan.Ithasasweet,freshtaste.YoucanfinditwithotherpickledvegetablesatlargerAsianmarketsoronline.Ifbettarazuke isnotavailable,useanequalamountoffinelymincedsweetpickledwhiteonion(drainwellbeforeaddingtorice).

CheesekamabokocylindersThesesticksof fishpastemixedwithmildcheesecanbe foundatlargerAsianmarkets. They’reabout¾ inch (2cm) indiameter.Similarlyproportionedsticksofsurimiorpackagedcheesestickscanbesubstitutedifnecessary.

FishsausageApinkvarietyofkamabokothatcomesintubesaboutaninch(2.5cm)indiameter.LookforitintherefrigeratedareaoflargeAsianmarkets.Substituteprecookedhotdogsifnecessary.

Greentobikoflying-fishroeTobikomaybemixedwithwasabiandothercoloringagentstomakeitgreen. It can be found in the refrigerated or frozen section ofmanyAsianmarkets. If unavailable,mix 1tablespoonfinelychoppedparsleystemswith¼teaspoonofwasabipasteasasubstitute.

IkurasalmonroeTheselargeorangefisheggsareprobablytheeasiesttofindofthevarietiesoffishroeusedinKazariSushi.Youcanfind“redcaviar”atgourmetspecialtyshops,eveniftheydon’tspecializeinAsianfood.

Japanese cucumber Smaller than English cucumbers, Japanese cucumbers have thin skins andundeveloped seeds, and are entirely edible. Substitute skinned and deseeded English cucumbers ifnecessary.

KamabokofishcakeThiscookedfishpastecomesinmanyshapes,sizes,andcolors.Thekamabokocalledforintheserecipesiswhite,anditcomesinahalf-moonshape(likeatubecutinhalflengthwise).Ifunavailable,tryusingsmokedtofucuttothespecifiedsizeandshapeinstead.

MentaikospicedpollockroeMentaiko(andrelatedtarako) isusuallysold intact intheovumofthefish.Mentaiko ismarinatedinachili-peppersauce,whichimpartsaspicyflavorandbrightredcolor.Substituteveryfinelychoppedsun-driedtomatoescuredinoliveoilwithapinchofcrushedorpowderedredpeppers.

MirinricewineThisJapanesecookingwineiswidelyavailable,butinapinch,useanequalamountofsakewith⅓ theamountofsugaradded (e.g.,1 tablespoonsakeplusone teaspoonsugar).Sweetsherrymayalsobesubstituted.

MitsubaAJapaneseherbwith a distinctive flavor,mitsubacanbe found in theproduce sectionof aJapaneseorAsianmarket.Ifit’sunavailable,flat-leafparsleymaybesubstituted.

Nozawana pickled mustard greens These tangy, salty pickled greens complement riceextremelywell.Ifyoucan’tfindnozawana,add2tablespoonssaltto1quart(1liter)water,bringtoaboil,andblanch2ounces(60g,or2cups)freshspinachleavesfor30seconds.Drainandsqueezetoremoveasmuchmoistureaspossiblebeforearrangingonthesushirice. Ifstemsarecalledfor, thinSwisschardorspinachstems,blanchedinheavilysaltedwateranddrainedwell,canbeusedasasubstitute.

OborowhitefishflakesOboro (alsocalleddenbu)consistsof fluffy flakesorgranulesmade fromdriedwhitefishseasonedwithsakeandmirin.Asoboro flakesareoftencoloredpink, theymaybemixedwith sushi rice to give it a pink tint. Store unused oboro in the freezer. If you can’t obtain oboro, trysubstitutingasmallamountoffinelygratedbeet(useaMicroplaneifpossible).Grate⅓cup(50g)rawbeetandseasonwith¼teaspoonofsalt,stirtomixandletstand5minutes,thendrainanduseasneeded.Youcanstorethegratedbeetinatightlyclosedcontainerintherefrigeratorforaweek.Use¼teaspoonofbeetper½cup(100g)ofsushirice.

PickledgingerSweetandwarming,pickledgingeristhinlyslicedgingerrootthathasbeenpickledinseasonedvinegar.Ifstore-boughtpickledgingerisunavailableornotpreferred,youcanprepareyourown(seepages8–9forseasonedvinegarinformation).

TarakosaltedpollockroeCommonly(anderroneously)called“codroe,”tarakoisAlaskapollockroethat'sbeentreatedwithsalt.Ithasarichtasteandfinetexture,andapinkish-orangecolor.Ifyoucan’tfinditinthefreshorfrozensectionofyourAsianmarket,youcansubstituteanequalquantityofveryfinelychoppedsmokedsalmon.

TakuanpickleddaikonYellow inhue, takuan ismade fromdaikonradishes thataredriedbeforepickling.Itisabitchewierthanbettarazukeintexture,andmakesaloudcrunchingsoundwhenitiseaten.OneofthemorewidelyavailableJapanesepickledvegetables,itcanbefoundinthemacrobioticsectionofmosthealth-foodstores,aswellasatAsiansupermarkets. Ifyoucan’t find it, substitutechoppedpickledcarrotsorcauliflowerfromapickledItalianvegetablemix—drainwellbeforeaddingtothesushirice.

Tobiko flying-fish roe Tobiko is an orange-colored mild-tasting roe that pops pleasantly on thetongue. Itcanbefoundfreshor frozenatmanyAsianmarkets. Ifyoucan’tobtain it,mixingthesushiricewithfinelygratedcarrotwillgiveitthedesiredorangetint.Grate⅓cup(35g)ofcarrotwithaMicroplaneorfine grater. Sprinkle½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon lemon juice over and stirwell to blend. Let stand 5

minutesthensqueezewelltoremoveasmuchmoistureaspossible.Mixintotherice.

Umeboshi plum paste This tangy, deep-purple paste is available in tubs, bottles or tubes in therefrigeratedsectionofAsianmarkets.Ifkeptrefrigerated,thepastehasalongshelflife.

WasabipasteMostcommercialpreparationsofthisgreen,sinus-openingcondimentcontainablendofmustard seedpowder, horseradishpowder,waterand foodcoloring.Japanesebrandsaremore likely tocontain actualwasabi root. If you can't find the paste, you can prepare your own usingwasabi powder(followpackageinstructions).

YamagobopickledburdockrootPickledburdockrootcanbefoundinAsianspecialtymarkets;itis usuallyapinkishorange incolor. If youcan’t find it, peel orwhittlea 4-inch (10.5-cm) lengthof carrotdowntopencildiameterandboilinwell-saltedwateruntiljusttender(2to3minutes).

Yukari dried shiso powder Red shiso, or perilla, is a deep-red leaf used to impart color toumeboshipickledplums,amongotherthings.Thedriedleafispowderedandmixedwithsalttocreateatartseasoningcalledyukari,whichgivesriceapurplehue.Ifyoucan’tfindyukari,substituteanequalamountofumeboshipasteorfinelychoppedumeboshipickledplums.

CHAPTER1

Basic Sushi Rolls and SimpleShapesThehosomakithinroll isthebasisformostoftherolls inthisbook.Masterthisrollfirstbeforeproceedingtomorecomplicated rolls. Layered rolls incorporate traditionalsushirollingtechniquesandproducebeautifuldesignsthatareascaptivatingtothemoderneyeastheywereintimespast.Carefullyfolloweachstepforbestresults.

BasicThinRolls

•RoundRolls•SquareRolls•TriangleRolls•RaindropRolls•JewelRolls

ThinRollArrangements

•FlowerRolls•Cherry-BlossomRolls

LayeredRollsMadewithThinRolls

•SevenTreasureRolls•Peach-BlossomRolls•Plum-BlossomRolls

LayeredRollsMadewithCutThinRolls

•CoinRolls•Seven-PartStarRolls•FourSeasRolls•WaterChrysanthemumRolls

Basic Thin Rolls (Hosomaki)Thethinrollisimportanttomaster,asitisthebasicfoundationofmostvarietiesofKazariSushi. It’s importanttokeepinmindtheuniformityoftheshapeoftheroll, thecenteringofthefilling,andthedensityoftherice—that is,gentlycompressedwithoutbeingcrushed.Youcaneasilyapplythetechniquestovariations,includinground,square,andtriangle-shapedrolls.

Round Rolls with Kanpyo SimmeredGourdMaru-maki

KanpyoSimmeredGourdisusedinmanyKazariRolls,especiallythosefeaturingcurvedlines,likekanjicharacterrolls.It’stastyandversatile,andstandsonitsownwhilealsopartneringwellwithotheringredients.This simple thin roll is amainstay in sushi restaurants, and isagreatvegetariansushioptionaswell.

MAKES24ROUNDPIECES

1¾cups(350g)preparedsushirice

2sheetsnori,cutinhalflengthwisetomake4half-sheets

4stripsofKanpyoSimmeredGourd(seepage10),cuttothelengthofthe nori (7½ in / 19 cm), approximately 3 oz (90 g)

1 Placeahalf-sheetofnorihorizontallyonasushimat.Withoutcrushingthericegrains,gentlyspreadafourth(about7tablespoons)ofthesushiriceacrossthenori, leavingabout¾ inch (2cm)of spaceat thebackedgeof thenoriandanevennarrowerspaceatthefront.Useyourfingertomakeashallowlengthwisechannelacrossthecenterof therice,wherethefillingwillbeplaced.Layone-

fourthofthekanpyostripsacrossthericeinthisdepression.

2 Makingsurenottoshiftthenori,liftupthefrontofthesushimatandcurlthe

frontedgeofthemattowardthebackinonesmoothmotion.

3 Tighten the sushi mat around the nori and filling. Pull the mat toward you,continuingtorollthematsothattheemptynoriatthefarendofthesheetclosesthe roll.Use themat toadjust theshape, formingacylinderofeven thickness.Removethesushimat.Repeattomake4rollsinall.

4 Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocuteachrollinhalf,thencuteachhalfintothirdstomake6pieces,wipingthebladecleanaftereachcut.

Square Rolls with TunaKaku-maki

Tekka-maki, or tuna roll, is one of the twomost popular thin rolls

(theotheriskappa-maki,cucumberroll—infact,ifyoulike,youcan

useathin-skinnedJapaneseorEnglishcucumberinplaceoftunainthisrecipe).Cutthefoursidesofthetunaverystraighttomakeeven-sidedbarswithasquarecross-section.Thiswillhelpmakethesquareshapeoftherollclearer.

MAKES24SQUAREPIECES

4rectangularbarsofsushi-gradetuna(around2oz/60geach),cutto7½x3⁄8x⅜in(19x1x1cm)2teaspoonspreparedwasabipaste

1 Placeonehalf-sheetofnorihorizontallyonasushimat.Withoutcrushingtherice grains, gently spread one-fourth (about 7 tablespoons) of the sushi riceacrossthenori,leavingabout¾inch(2cm)ofspaceatthebackedgeofthenoriandanarrowerspaceatthefront.Useyourfingertomakeashallowlengthwisechannelacrossthecenteroftherice,wherethefillingwillbeplaced.

2 Gently smear ½ teaspoon of the wasabi across the rice along the centralchannel.Laythetunaontopofthewasabi.

3 Aswhenmakingaroundroll,liftupthefrontofthesushimatandcurlittowardthebackinonesmoothmotion,makingsurenottoshiftthenoriandfillingasyoudoso.Thenplaceyour indexfingersonthecenterof thesushimat tocreateaflat side that is parallel to one side of the square filling, pressing downgently.Repeat for the other three sides so that the roll is clearly square. Remove thesushimat.Repeattomake4rollsinall.

4 Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocuteachrollinhalf,thencuteachhalfintothirdstomake6pieces,wipingthebladecleaneachtime.

NOTE:Theamountofwasabiusedcanbevariedaccording to your tastesoryour guests’ desires. Many sushi restaurants in the US, knowing that theircustomers will mix wasabi together with soy sauce for dipping, do not putwasabi into their rolled sushi. Traditionally, however, the wasabi isincorporatedintotheroll,sopiecesofrolledsushiaregentlydippedintoplainsoy sauce. Only when eating sashimi (raw fish served without rice) docustomersaddtheirownwasabitotaste.

Triangle RollsSankaku-maki

If you’d likemore variety in this simple roll, you can sprinkle toasted

sesameseedsoverthecucumber,oraddasmearofwasabiorumeboshipaste. When rolling the sushi, try to be sure the triangle of thecucumberwedgeisalignedwiththetriangleshapeoftheroll.

MAKES24TRIANGULARPIECES

1JapaneseorEnglishcucumberatleast7½in(19cm)long

Youcancreateastarorflowershapebyarrangingsixtriangularslicesintoacircle.

1 Remove theendsof thecucumberandcut it to thesame lengthas thenori.Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise. Lay one half face-down on the cuttingboard and slice lengthwise to make three triangular wedges. Repeat with theotherhalf.

2 Placeonehalf-sheetofnorihorizontallyonasushimat.Withoutcrushingtherice grains, gently spread one-fourth (about 7 tablespoons) of the sushi riceacrossthenori,leavingabout¾inch(2cm)ofspaceatthebackedgeofthenoriandanarrowerspaceatthefront.Useyourfingertomakeashallowlengthwisechannelacross thecenterof the rice,where the fillingwillbeplaced. Layonecucumberwedgeinthechannel,peelsidedown.

3 Taking care not to shift the nori and cucumber slice, lift up the front of thesushi mat. With a pinching motion, roll the mat to form a triangular shape,pressinggentlyasyoutightenthemat.Removesushimat.Repeat tomakefourrollsinall.

Raindrop RollsShizuku-maki

Whenmaking a teardrop roll, be sure to place the filling toward thebackof the roll, rather than in themiddle.Asyou form the roll, it ishelpfultoholdthesushimatinonehandandlookattherollfromthesideasyouadjusttheshape.

MAKES24TEARDROP-SHAPEDPIECES

½cup(130g)tobikoflying-fishroe

Arollslicedintosixpiecescanbearrangedtomakeaflowershape.

1 Placeonehalf-sheetofnorihorizontallyonasushimat.Withoutcrushingtherice grains, gently spread one fourth (about 7 tablespoons) of the sushi riceacrossthenori,leavingabout¾inch(2cm)ofspaceatthebackedgeofthenoriandanarrowerspaceatthefront.Useyourfingertomakeashallowlengthwisechannel across the rice toward the back, where the filling will be placed.

Arrange2tablespoonsofthetobikointhischanneltomakeanarrowlineacrossthelengthoftherice.

2 Takingcarenottoshiftthenoriandfilling,liftthefrontofthesushimatanduse

thesamerollingmethodastheroundroll(page13).Keeppressingandrollingalltheway, then lift up the sushimat andadjust the shape intoa teardrop shapewhileviewingtherollfromtheside.Removethesushimat.Repeattomake4rollsinall.

Jewel RollsMagatama-maki

Whenmaking a teardrop roll, be sure to place the filling toward thebackof the roll, rather than in themiddle.Asyou form the roll, it ishelpfultoholdthesushimatinonehandandlookattherollfromthesideasyouadjusttheshape.

MAKES32COMMA-SHAPEDPIECES

½cup(80g)pinkoborofishflakes

1 Placeonehalf-sheetofnorihorizontallyonasushimat.Withoutcrushingtherice grains, gently spread one fourth (about 7 tablespoons) of the sushi riceacrossthenori,leavingabout¾inch(2cm)ofspaceatthebackedgeofthenoriandanarrowerspaceatthefront.Useyourfingertomakeashallowlengthwisechannel across the rice toward the back, where the filling will be placed.

Arrange2tablespoonsoftheoboroflakesinthischanneltomakeanarrowlineacrossthelengthoftherice.

2 Using the samemethodas theRaindropRolls (left), lift theentire sushimat,turntothesideandadjusttheshapetoformacomma-shapedroll.Removethesushimat.Repeattomakefourrolls.

3 Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocuteachrollinhalf,thencuteachhalfintofourpieces,wipingthebladecleaneachtime.

Thin Roll ArrangementsCreatewhimsywithsimplearrangementsofslicedthinrolls.Toensurethateachslicedpiecehasthesameshape,spreadthericeevenlyonthenoriandturnthesushimattolookattherollfromthesideasyouadjusttheshape.Slicetherollwithcare toavoiddisturbing the fillings, and try tomakeeachsliceuniform inthickness.

Flower RollsHana-maki

Forthisvibrantarrangement,orangetobikoflying-fishroeisaddedtothesushiricetogiveitcolor;thecucumberpiecesprovideanextrapopofbrightness.Positioningthecucumberpiecesatthepointedendoftheteardrop-shapedrollslookslovelybecausewhenthepiecesarearrangedtheyformthecenteroftheflower.

MAKES24PIECES,OR4FLOWERARRANGEMENTS

1⅓cups(275g)preparedsushirice2sheetsnori,cutinhalftomake4half-sheets

4tablespoonstobikoflying-fishroe1JapaneseorEnglishcucumberatleast7½in(19cm)long

1 Combine the tobiko with the prepared sushi rice. Divide into four equalportions.

2 Remove theendsof thecucumberandcut it to thesame lengthas thenori.Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise. Lay one half face-down on the cuttingboard and slice lengthwise to make three triangular wedges. Repeat with theotherhalf.

3 Placeasheetofnorihorizontallyon thesushimat,andspreadone-fourthofthetobikorice(about5tablespoons)acrossthecenterofthenoritoaheightofjustoveraninch(3cm).

4 Placeapieceof cucumberat theupperedgeof the tobiko rice (toward thebackoftheroll).Pressthecucumberagainsttherice,andleavea³⁄8-inch(1-cm)spacebetweentheedgeofthenoriandcucumber.

5 Makingsurenottoshiftthecontents,liftandwrapthefrontofthesushimatsothatthefrontedgeofthenorijustmeetstheedgeofthecucumber.Tighten.

6 Unwrapthesushimat,thengentlycontinuetotiltandrotatetherolltoencasethecontentsintothenori.Adjustthesushimatsothatthepartoftherollwithnocucumberisrounded;tighten.

7 Re-place the roll on the mat so that the rounded part is down and thecucumberwedgeisat thetop.Holdthemat inonehandandviewroll fromthesideasyouadjusttherollintoateardropshape.Removethesushimat.Repeattomakefourteardroprollsinall.

8 Remove thesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedipped invinegarwater tocuttherollinto6equalslices,wipingtheknifecleaneachtime.Arrangetoformaflower,withthepointedendofeach“teardrop”atthecenter.

Cherry-Blossom RollsSakura no Hana

This particular thin roll is sliced into cherry-blossom petals andarranged to form flowers. The distinctive notched petal shape isachievedbyusingthebluntedgeofakitchenknifetocreateagrooveintheroll.

MAKES24PETAL-SHAPEDPIECES

4tablespoonspinkoborofishflakes

TIPSThoroughlymixtheoborointothesushiricetodistributethecolorevenly.•Don’trollthesushimat;useafoldingmotioninstead.•Wrappingtherolllooselywith thematwill help keep thenori from tearing. •Make thegroove thesamedepthforeachslice,beingcarefulnottotearthenori.

1 Combinetheoborowiththesushiriceandmixgentlytotintthericeevenly.

2 Cuta⅜-inch (1-cm)strip fromonesheetofnori.Place the remaining larger

pieceofnorihorizontallyonthesushimat.Leaving⅛inch(3mm)ofspaceatthetopandbottomedgesofthenori,gentlyspreadthesushi-ricemixturedownthelengthofthesheet.Laythe½-inchstripofnoriacrossthebackedgeofthenori.

3 Fold the sushimat over, pinching the end to forma triangular shapeas youadjusttheshapeoftheroll.Trynottopresstootightly;thiswillhelpwithformingthegrooveinstep4.

4 Repositiontherollonthesushimatwiththeclosedend(wherethetwoedgesofthenorimeet)towardthebottomofthemat.Carefullypressthebackedgeofaknifeintotherolltomakeagroove.

5 Repositiontherollonthematonceagainsothat it facestheotherdirection.Press thesushimat to form thepetalshape.Remove thesushimatandcutoffanyexcessnorithatmaybepeekingoutfromtheclosedend.Repeattomake4

rollsinall.

6 Use a very sharp knife dipped in vinegar water to cut the roll into 6 equalslices, wiping the knife clean after each cut. Arrange 5 slices into a cherryblossom.

Layered Rolls (Saiku-maki) Made withThin RollsLarge-scaledecorative sushi rolls canbemadewithmultiple piecesandtypesofthinrollsthatarewrappedtogethertoformalargerroll.Rolls can be combined into an endless variety of designs, formingbrilliant layered sushi creations. The key to a beautiful finish andprofessional-lookingresults istocarefullymaintainuniformthicknessandshapeforeachthinroll.

Seven Treasure RollsFour diamond-shaped thin rolls surrounding a filling (in this case,JapaneseOmelette)comprisethislargeKazariRoll.“SevenTreasures”

referstothepatternformedbytherepeatingcirclescalledshippou inJapanese, which is considered a fortuitous design. Feel free toexperiment with different fillings in complementary colors to makeyourownversion.

MAKES6LARGEPIECES

1¾cups(350g)preparedsushirice,dividedinto4equalportions

Nori:4half-sheets+1fullsheet

1bar(¾oz/20g)sushi-gradetuna,cutintoabar8in(20cm)longand⅜in(1cm)oneachside

8-in (20-cm) long Japanese or English cucumber, cut into 6lengthwisewedges

½oz(15g)nozawanapickledmustardgreens

1tablespoontobikoflying-fishroeJapaneseOmelette(seepage10)cutintoabar8in(20cm)longand¾in(2cm)oneachside

TIPSMakeeachroll thesamethicknessandshape,andkeepthepositionandcolorcoordinationofeachof the fourrolls inmindasyouassemble them.•Toassemble theentire roll,place theJapaneseOmelette in thecenter.•Thenorithatwrapstheomeletteshouldtouchthenorisurfacesofthesurroundingrolls.•Asafinalstep,shapetheentirerollintoasquare.

NoriPieces

1 Makefourseparatesquarerolls(seepage13).Foreachroll,useahalf-sheet

of nori, one fourth of the sushi rice, and one filling (tuna, cucumber, pickled

greens,or tobiko).Asa finalstep foreach roll, lift thesushimatandpress theentirerollintoadiamondshape.

2 Makesurethatallfourrollsarethesamethicknessandshape.Flatteningthesidesintothediamondshapewillmakeaspacefortheomelette.

3 Placethefullsheetofnoriverticallyonthesushimatsothattheshortedgeisparallelwiththeslats.Positiononeofthethinrollsatthefrontedge.

4 Holdingthesushimatinyournon-dominanthand,placeasecondthinroll,with

acontrasting-coloredfilling,nexttothefirst.

5 Placetheomeletteintheangledspacecreatedbetweenthetworolls.

6 Arrangetheremainingtworollsontopoftheomelette,payingattentiontothecolorofthefilling.Makesurethatonesideofeachofthefourrollsisflushwithonesideoftheomelette.

7 Usethesushimattofinishrolling.Besurethenoriwrapsarounditselftosealtherollshut.

8 Pressthesushimatintoasquareshape.Removethesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocuttherollinto6equalslices,wipingtheknifecleanaftereachcut.

Peach-Blossom RollsMomo no HanaRoundrollsfilledwithpinkoboro-tintedsushiriceformthepetalsfor

thepeachblossom,andasliceofcheesekamabokofishcakemakesup

the center. The arrangement is then wrapped in more sushi rice,resulting in an elaborate layered sushi roll. Because the center of theflower is round, itmay be tricky to get it in the right place.Use thesushimattokeeptheshapetogetherbypressingfirmly.

MAKES4LARGEPIECES

1cup(200g)preparedsushirice,divided

Nori:five⅓half-sheets+two1-in(2.5-cm)widestrips,thelengthofafullsheet+1⅓half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakeanextendedsheet1tablespoonpinkoborofishflakes

4-in(10.5-cm)cylindercheesekamabokoFive4-in(10.5-cm)stalksnozawanapickledmustardgreens½teaspoontoastedwhitesesameseeds

1tablespoonfinelymincedpickledginger

TIPS:Make the round rolls equal in thickness to create a pleasing circulardesign.•Formtheflowershapeinsideofthesushimat,staggeringeachelementas you build the roll. •Once the flower shape has been constructed, press itfirmly together with the sushi mat and “tie” it together with the nori strips. •Spreadtheplainsushiriceinanevenlayeracrossthenorisothatthedesignwillappearuniformwhentherollissliced.

NoriPieces

1 Inasmallmixingbowl,combine½cup(100g)ofthesushiricewiththeoboroflakesandmixgently until the rice is evenly tinted.Divide thenow-pink riceintofiveequalportions.

2 Placeoneofthe⅓half-sheetnoripiecesonthesushimatwiththelongedgeparalleltotheslats.Formoneportionofthepinkriceintoacylinderandplaceitin the center of the nori. Use the sushi mat to wrap the nori around the rice.Repeattomake5rolls.

3 Hold thesushimat inonehandandarrange threeof the rolls fromstep2 toformahalf-circle.Placethecheesekamabokointhehollowformedbytherolls.Balancethetworemainingrollsontopofthecheesekamabokoandtightenthesushimataroundtheentireconstruction,pressingthemtogether.

4 With the mat still in one hand, open it and place a stalk of pickled greensbetween each “petal,” rotating the mat in your hand as you go to keep the“flower”together.Tightenthesushimataroundtheentirerolloncemoreandsetaside.

5 Smasha fewgrainsofsushi riceatoneendof the1-inch (2.5-cm)noristripsandplacethemparalleltoeachotheronacuttingboard,setaparttomatchthewidthofthe“flower.”Carefullyrollthe“flower”ontothetwostripsofnorisothattheywrapallthewayaround.Usethericeattheendasgluetosecurethestripstogether.Setaside.

6 Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatsothattheshortedgeisparalleltotheslatsinthemat.

7 Spread theremaining½cup (100g)ofsushi riceevenlyacross the longnorisheet, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) of spaceat oneend. Sprinkle the toastedwhitesesame seeds and minced pickled ginger evenly across the rice. Place the“flower”rollinthemiddleoftherice.Liftthesushimatandslowlywrapthenew

layer of rice around the flower, using the empty nori at the edge to seal theexpandedrollshut.

8 Rollthesushimatallthewayandcompressitgently.Viewingtherollfromtheside,adjusttheshapeintoacircle.Removethesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocuttheroll into4equalslices,wipingtheknifecleanaftereachcut.

Plum-Blossom RollsTheconstructionmethodforthePlum-BlossomRollsisthesameasforthePeachBlossomRoll(page20),butnori isaddedwithinthepetalsfor additional detail. In keeping with this particular flower theme in

lookand taste, the redhueof the sushi rice is fromumeboshi paste,whichismadefrompickledumeplums.

Mitsuba, a Japaneseherbwith adistinctive flavor, canbe found intheproduce sectionof a JapaneseorAsianmarket. If it’s unavailable,flat-leaf parsley may be substituted. In either case, blanch in boilingwaterfor1minute,plungeintocoldwater,drainwell,andthensqueezetoremoveasmuchmoistureaspossible.

MAKES4LARGEPIECES

1⅓cups(275g)preparedsushirice,dividedNori:five½half-sheets+two1-in(2.5-cm)widestrips,thelengthofa

fullsheet+1⅓half-sheets,“glued” togetherwithabitof rice tomakeanextendedsheet1½tablespoonspinkoborofishflakes

1teaspoonumeboshiplumpaste4-in(10.5-cm)lengthpinkpickledburdockroot

1bunchmitsuba(about2oz/50g)blanched,drained,andsqueezed,cutto4-in(10.5-cm)lengths

1teaspoontoastedwhitesesameseeds

TIPSMake the smaller rolls equal in size and thickness to produce uniformpetals.•Formtheflowershapeinsideofthesushimat,pressingfirmlyaroundthemat to secure the shape. •Once the flower shape has been constructed, tietogetherwith the nori strip. •Spread the sushi rice on the nori evenly for thedesigntoshowupclearlywhentherollissliced.•Viewtherollfromthesidetoadjusttheoverallcircularshapewiththesushimat.

NoriPieces

1 Inasmallbowl,combine⅔cup (130g)of thesushi ricewith theoboroandumeboshi paste.Gentlymixuntilall ingredientsarecombinedand the rice isauniformpink.Divide into fiveequalbundles (about5 teaspoonseach),handling

gently.Dividethemitsubainto5equalbunches.Cuta⅝-inch(1.5-cm)stripfromtheshorteredgeofeachofthe½half-sheetsofnori.

2 Layoneof thesecutpiecesofnorihorizontallyon thesushimatandspreadoneportionoftheobororiceoverit,leavingaspaceofabout3⁄16inch(5mm)atthetopandbottomedges.Layoneofthe⅝-inch(1.5-cm)stripsofnoriacrosstheupperedge.

3 Liftupthefrontofthesushimatand,beingsurenottoshiftthecontents,wraptherollintoaraindropshape(seepage15).Repeatsteps2and3withtheother4quarter-sheets. Finally, trimabout 3⁄16 inch (5mm) from the closed tip of eachraindroproll.

4 Holdthesushimatinonehand.Placingonerollatatime,arrangethreeoftheraindrop rolls to form a half-circle, with the tips facing in. Place the pickledburdockrootinthehollowcreatedatthecenterofthethreerolls.

5 Addthelasttworaindroprollstocompletethecirclearoundtheburdockrootandwrapthesushimataroundtheroll,pressing therolls together firmly.Open

the mat again and lay a strip ofmitsuba between each “petal” of the flower,rotatingtherollinthematuntilallthemitsubahasbeenadded.Rollthesushimatclosedagain,compressingoncemore tomake the rollperfectly round,andset

aside.

6 Laythe1-inch(2.5-cm)noristripsparallelonadrycuttingboard.Theoutsideedgesshouldbealittlelessthanthewidthofthe“flower”roll.Smashacouplegrainsofriceatthefarendofeachstrip,thenlaythe“flower”ontopofthenoristrips and roll it so that it is held together by the strips, securing the endstogetherwiththerice“glue.”

7 Placetheextendednorisheetonthesushimat,aligningtheshortedgeswiththe slats. Take½ cup (100 g) of the remaining sushi rice and spread it evenlyacrossthenori,leavingabout2⅜inches(6cm)emptyatoneedge.Sprinklewiththetoastedsesameseeds.Placethe“flower”inthecenteroftherice.

8 Pickupthesushimatandholditinonehand.Withoutclosingtheroll,curlyourpalmtowrapthericearoundtheflower.Thereshouldbeabout2tablespoonsofsushiriceremaining;spreadthisoverthetopoftheflower.

9 Wrapthemataroundtocompletetheroll,sealingthenoritotheoutsideoftheroll.Viewfromthesideandadjusttomaketherollperfectlyround.Removethesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocuttherollinto4equalslices,wipingtheknifecleanaftereachcut.

Layered Rolls (Saiku-maki) Made withCut Thin RollsThinrollsthathavebeenslicedlengthwisecanbearrangedtocreateelaborate designs andpatterns. TheCoinRolls on this pageand theFour SeasRolls (page 28)may appear complicated, but once you’vegonethroughthesteps,they’reasnaptomake.Ifyoutakeextracarewhileformingthebuilding-blockrolls,thebeautifuldesignswillrevealthemselveswhenthecompletedrollissliced.

Coin RollsThisrollismodeledafterEdo-periodcoinscalledkaneitsuhou,which,

likemanycoinsoftheera,wereroundwithasquareholeinthemiddle.First,onethinrolliswrappedwithintwootherlayersofriceandnori.This triple roll is then sliced in half and rearranged around a center

filling ofkamaboko fish cake before beingwrapped in an extra-long

pieceofnoriandslicedtorevealtheelaboratepattern.

MAKES4LARGEPIECES

1¼cups(250g)preparedsushirice

Nori:1half-sheet,cuttoa31⁄8-in(8-cm)widthalongthelongside+1half-sheet+1fullsheet,cutto¾widthalongthelongside+1⅓half-sheets, “glued” together with a bit of rice to make an

extendedsheet2generoustablespoonstarakosaltedpollockroe4-in (10.5-cm) lengthkamaboko fishcake,cut intoabarshape⅝ in(1.5cm)oneachside

TIPS Spread the rice evenly over the nori, and shape the layered roll into aperfectcircle.•Whenslicingtherolldownthemiddle,takecaretomaintaintheshapeand don’t squeeze or press hard. •Be sure to cut thekamabokobar atexact right angles on all four sides. • Compress the sushi mat to secure theshape,thenusethemattofinessethefinalrollintoacircle.

NoriPieces

1 Placethetarakoinasmallbowlandbreakapartwell.Addthesushiriceandstir,gently,untiltheroeisincorporatedevenlythroughout,tintingtherice.Dividethetintedriceintofourparts:One¼-cup(50-g)portion;one⅓-cup(65-g)portion;one½-cup(100-g)portion;anda2-tablespoonportion.

2 Placethe31⁄8-inch(8-cm)norisheetonthesushimatsothatthelongedgeisparallel to theslats.Roll the¼-cup (50-g)portionof the rice intoacylinder thesame lengthas thenori. Lay it in themiddleof thenoriandmakea round roll,wrapping themat around the roll and rotating it tomake it perfectly even and

circular.Setaside.

3 Placethehalf-sheetofnorionthesushimatsothatthelongedgeisparalleltotheslats.Spreadthe⅓-cup(60-g)portionofriceacrossthenori, leavingabout⅜inch(1cm)atthetopedge.Placethefirstrollinthemiddleandusethesushimat towrap the second layer of rice and nori around it. Use the sushimat toclosetherollandmakeitintoanevencylinder.

4 Placethe¾sheetofnorionthesushimatsothatthelongedgeisparalleltothe slats. Spread the ½-cup (100-g) portion of rice across the nori, leaving 2inches(5cm)ofspaceatthetopedge.Placethedoublerollinthemiddle.

5 Hold thesushimat inonehandand roundout thebottomof the rollwithoutclosing it.Spreadthe lastportionof riceover the topof theroll, thenclose thematandfinishtheroll,sealingitshutwiththenoriattheend.

6 Dipaverysharpknifeinvinegarwaterandcuttherollinhalfcrosswise.Cleanand re-wet the knife and cut each piece in half lengthwise to create 4 longpieces.Wipethebladecleanaftereachcut.

7 Placetheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortendparallelwiththeslats.Withthesushimatinonehand,placeoneofthepiecesfromstep6cut-side-downalongthefrontedgeofthenori.Placeanotherpiecebehindthefirst

one.Balancethekamabokobetweenthetwopieces,withthecornerintheanglebetweenthem.

8 Keepholdingthesushimatinyourhandandplacetheremainingtwocutrollsontopofthekamaboko.

9 Wrapthenoriaroundallthepieces,sealingtherollbycompressingthesushimat.Holdthematinbothhandsandroundouttheshape.Removethesushimatanduse a very sharp knife dipped in vinegarwater to cut the roll into 4 equalslices,wipingthebladecleaneachtime.

Seven-Part Star RollsRound rolls with different-colored fillings are sliced in half to createthislayereddesign;theJapaneseOmeletteatthecenteraddsaflourish.Changeitupwithdifferentcolors;youcanalsomake4roundrollsforaNine-PartStarRoll.

MAKES4LARGEPIECES

¾cup(150g)preparedsushirice,divided

Nori:three½half-sheets+1half-sheet

1heapingteaspoonmincednozawanapickledmustardgreens1heapingteaspoonpinkoborofishflakes1heapingteaspoontobikoflying-fishroe4-in(10.5-cm)lengthJapaneseOmelette(seepage10)

TIPSCuttheJapaneseOmelettewithasteadyhandforacleancircularshape.•Makeall theroundrolls thesamesize,anddonot flattenordistort theirshapewhen cutting them lengthwise to create half-circle pieces. •Arrange the half-circlessopiecesofthesamecolorarenotnexttoeachother.

NoriPieces

1 Inasmallbowl,combine¼cup(50g)ofthesushiricewiththepickledgreensand the sesame seeds. Gently mix until evenly combined. In a second bowl,

combineanother¼cup(50g)ofthericewiththeoboro,mix,andsetaside.Inathirdbowl,do thesamewith the remaining¼cup (50g)of riceand the tobiko.Carefully trim theJapaneseOmelette intoacylindricalshape1 inch (2.5cm) indiameter.

2 Placeoneof the½half-sheetsofnori lengthwiseonthesushimat.Formthepickledgreensriceintoacylinderaslongasthenori,placeinthemiddleofthematandmakearoundroll.Rotatetherollbackandforthinsideofthesushimatseveraltimessothattherollisperfectlycylindrical.

3 Repeatstep2forthepinkobororiceandtheorangetobikorice.

4 Dipaverysharpknifeinvinegarwaterorwipewithawetcloth.Cuttherollsfromsteps2and3lengthwise,wipingtheknifecleanaftereachcut.

5 Placethehalf-sheetofnorionthesushimatsothattheshortedgealignswiththeslats.Startingatthefrontedgeofthenori,arrangethehalf-rollsfromstep4

in this order: tobiko, pickledgreens,oboro, tobiko, pickledgreens,oboro. Thencentertheomelettecylinderatoptherollsinthemiddle.

6 Holding the sushimat in one hand,wrap it around to enclose the contents,makingsuretokeeptheomeletteinthecenter.Sealthenoriandtighten.

7 Shapetheroll intoacircle.Removethesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocuttherollinto4equalslices,wipingtheknifeclean

eachtime.

Four Seas RollsInspiredbytheverse“Thequietwavesofthefourseas”fromtheNohchant “Takasago,” this design incorporates motifs symbolizing peace,and is often used for celebratory occasions like weddings. Althoughcomplicated in appearance, it’s quite easy tomake.Even a single slicehaspanache;lineupmultipleslicesformaximumimpact.

MAKES4LARGESQUAREPIECES

Nori:¾half-sheet+1half-sheet+1⅓half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakeanextendedsheet

2tablespoonspinkoborofishflakes4-in (10.5-cm) length Japanese or English cucumber, about 1¼ in (3cm)indiameter

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthJapaneseOmelette(seepage10),cutintoabar1in(2.5cm)oneachside

TIPSThecucumbertendstoslideoffeasily,sobesuretopressitintothesushiricebeforemakingthefirstroll.•Makesurethelayersofsushiricelayersareofequal thickness to create well-definedwave patterns. •Hold the roll firmly tostabilizewhencutting,andcutitintoquartersasevenlyaspossible;thiswillhelpwithbalancingthesushirollelementswhencreatingthedesign.•Asyouwrapthecompleted roll, takecare that thecontentsdon’tshift. •Thesizeof the rollwill varydependingon thediameterof thecucumber, soadjust the sizeof thenoriaccordingly.

NoriPieces

1 Inasmallbowl,combine7tablespoonsofthesushiricewiththeoboro.Gentlymixuntilthericeisevenlytinted.Setaside.

2 Placethe¾half-sheetofnoriverticallyonthesushimatsothattheshortedgeisparallelwiththeslats.Spreadtheremaining5tablespoonsofplainsushiriceacrossthenori,leaving⅜inch(1cm)ofspaceatthetopedge.Laythecucumberacrossthecenteroftherice,thenusethesushimattowrapthericearoundthecucumber,sealingthenori.

3 Placethehalf-sheetofnoriverticallyonthesushimatsothattheshortedgeisparallel with the slats. Spread the remaining 5 tablespoons of plain sushi riceacrossthenori,leaving⅜inch(1cm)ofspaceatthetopedge.Laythecucumberacrossthecenteroftherice,thenusethesushimattowrapthericearoundthecucumber,sealingthenori.

4 Dip a very sharp knife in vinegar water. Carefully slice the roll in halflengthwiseandwipe theknifeclean.Placethehalvedrolls facedown,andcuteachinhalflengthwiseagaintomakeevenquarters.

5 Placetheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgeparalleltotheslats.Placetwoofthequarter-rollsonthenoriasshowninthephoto.Placethe Japanese Omelette in the v-shaped space between the rolls. Balance theothertwoquarter-rollsontopoftheomelette.

6 Begin to roll themat, taking care to avoid shifting the contents. Form into asquareshape,pullingthesushimattowardyouafterthefirstrotationtosecuretheelements.Continuetoroll,pressingagainstthematsothatthenoriadherestothefilling.Adjusttheshapeasneededtomakeitintoasquare.

7 Remove thesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedipped invinegarwater tocuttherollinto4equalslices,wipingtheknifecleaneachtime.

Arrangeslicesside-by-sideforadazzlingdisplay.

Try changing the color of the sushi rice or the size of the roll for a differentdesign. Youcanalso leaveout thecucumber for a smaller, easier roll. Cut theomelette to⅜ inch (1 cm) on each side, and reduce the amount of rice to 3½tablespoonsofplainsushiriceand4tablespoonsofobororice.

Water Chrysanthemum RollsEvokingachrysanthemumfloatinginaflowingstreamofwater,thisisa traditional design that commemorates longevity. The flower petalsare crafted from Japanese Omelette wrapped in nori to make themstandout; thenoriandricecombinetocreatetheeffectofundulatingwavesandwater.ThepetalscouldalsobemadewiththemethodusedforRaindropRolls(page15).

MAKES4WATERCHRYSANTHEMUMPIECES

Nori:3half-sheets,cutcrosswisetomake6quarter-sheets+⅔half-sheet+1⅓half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakeanextendedsheet1tablespoonpinkoborofishflakes

1teaspoonaonoriflakes½teaspoontoastedsesameseeds

JapaneseOmelette(seepage10),cutintothree⅝x1x4-in(1.5x2.5x10.5-cm)bars

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthpickledburdockroot

TIPSCutthechrysanthemumpetalsintoidenticalshapes.•Pressnori-wrappedpetals together firmly to hold the shape. •Roll the contents so that the flowershapeandthelayersofsushiriceseamlesslyformintoonedesign.

NoriPieces

1 Inasmallbowl,combine½cup(100g)ofthesushiricewiththeoboroflakes.Gentlymixuntiltheoboroisevenlyincorporated.Inasecondbowl,combinetheremaining4tablespoonsofsushiricewiththeaonori flakesandsesameseeds.Gentlymixuntilallingredientsaredistributedevenly.

2 Cut the omelette pieces lengthwise on the diagonal to form 6 triangularwedgesofequalsize.Trimthecornersfromthewidepartofthewedgetoroundthemintopetalshapes.

3 Wrapaquarter-sheetofnoriaroundeachofthe“petals.”

4 Holdingthesushimatinonehandinacurvedshape,arrangethenori-wrappedpetalswiththenarrowendsfacinginwardtoformasemicircleabout2inches(5cm)indiameter.Placethepickledburdockrootatthecenter.Compressthesushimat without distorting the shape of the semicircle so that the “petals” sticktogether.Laythesemicircleflat-sidedownonaclean,drysurface.

5 Laythe⅔half-sheetofnorionaclean,drycuttingboard.Spreadhalfoftheoboro rice evenly across the entire surfaceof the nori. Turn the nori over andspreadtheotherhalfofthericeacrosstheotherside.

6 Roll half of theaonori rice intoan4-inch (10.5-cm)cylinder.Repeatwith theremainingaonoririce.

7 Lift theshortedgeof the rice-coverednoriand fold it intoan“s”shape (thewidthofthe“s”shouldbethesameasthewidthofthe“petals”).Shifttheupperend(topof“s”)totherightsothattheshapeisoffset.

8 Insertanaonoricylinderfromstep6intothespaceatthelowerrightofthe“s”formedinstep7.Inserttheotheraonoricylinderintothespaceattheupperleft.Thisrepresentsthe“water”partoftheroll.

9 Laytheextendednorisheetovertheflower“petals”fromstep3(makesuretoalign thecenterof the flowerwith thecenterof thenoripiece). Flip the flowershape over and place it on the sushimat. Gently press themat to adhere theouternoritotheflowershape.

10 Turn thewater shape from step 8 upside down and place it on top of theinvertedflowershape.Closethenoriover itandpressthesushimattosecure.Usethemattoshapetherollintoatallsemicircle.Removethesushimatandusea very sharp knife dipped in vinegar water to cut the roll into 4 equal slices,wipingtheknifecleaneachtime.

CHAPTER2

Amazing Decorative SushiRollsNodesignis impossiblewhenitcomestoKazariSushi—you can make flowers, trees, animals, faces, characters,landscapes, words, symbols and more. This sectionintroduces you to the methods and ingredients that willallow you to execute intricate designs easily.Once you’recomfortable with the techniques, have fun creating yourowndesigns!

BasicKazariSushiRolls

•SmileyFaceRolls

SymmetricalDesigns

•ClownRolls•SamuraiRolls

RollsthatUseMountainShapes

•TulipRolls•MorningGloryRolls

UsingIngredientsinCross-Section

•BellRolls•PenguinRolls

•ReindeerRolls

Inside-OutRolls

•TrainCarRolls•SantaClausRolls

RollsFeaturinga“Branch”MadeoutofKanpyoSimmeredGourd

•SunflowerRolls•FloweringCherryTreeRolls•PersimmonRolls•PineTreeRolls

Adding“Ears”toAnimal-ShapedRolls

•PandaRolls•BunnyRabbitRolls

RollswithJapaneseKanjiCharacters

•RollswithKanjifor“Sun”•RollswithKanjifor“Origin”

RollswithKanjiCharactersMadeoutofKanpyoSimmeredGourd

•RollswithKanjifor“Celebration”•RollswithKanjifor“LongLife”•RollswithKanjifor“GoodFortune”

NoveltyRolls

•SparrowRolls•GuitarRolls

LandscapeRolls

•MountFujiRolls

•SeashoreRolls

Basic Kazari Sushi RollsLet’sstartwithaverysimple facedesign.This roll requiresonlyonefull sheetofnori,and itscompactsizemakes iteasy toassemble.Athin roll sliced in half makes curved lines for the eyes, and otheringredients will add to the facial expression. The Smiley Face RollincorporatesallthebasictechniquesformakingKazariRolls,includingbalancingdesignelementsliketheeyesandmouth,slicingathinrolllengthwise, and blending ingredients. Once you’ve mastered theSmileyFace,challengeyourselftocreatealargerKazariRoll.

Smiley Face RollsThefollowingwillshowyouhowtocutathinrolltoformthecurvedlines of the eyes; shape Japanese Omelette into a half-circle;symmetricallyplacetheeyes;andspreadthesushiriceevenly.AversionofthisfaceisusedfortheClownRollsonpage35.

MAKES4SMILEYFACEPIECES

Scant¾cup(140g)preparedsushirice

Nori:1half-sheet,cutcrosswise into thirds (only2of these⅓half-sheetswillbeused)+1half-sheet

1tablespoontobikoflying-fishroe½teaspoontoastedwhitesesameseeds

JapaneseOmelette (seepage 10), cut into a 1 x⅜ x 4-in (2.5 x 1 x10.5-cm)barshape

TIPSDistribute thecoloring ingredients into thesushi riceevenly, butbe surenot to over-mix the rice or break up the grains. • Divide the sushi rice intospecifiedportionsbeforeassembly,andshapethemintocylindersorstripsthatarethesamelengthasthenori(approximately4inches/10.5cm)beforeplacingthem on the nori. •Nori has a tendency to shrink, so work quickly once youspreadthesushiriceoverit.

NoriPieces

Smiley Face Wrapped in an EggCrêpe

YoucansubstituteathinlayerofJapaneseCrêpeinsteadofnorifortheouterwrapping.Cutthecrêpetothesamesizeasahalf-sheetofnori(approximately4x8 inches/10.5x20cm),andcoverthesushimatwithplasticwrapbeforelaying the crêpe down. Take care not to tear the crêpewhen spreading thesushirice.

Japanese Crêpe2eggs

2teaspoonscastorsugar

1teaspoondashiorwater

Pinchsalt

½teaspooncornstarchmixedwith½teaspoonwater

Mixall ingredientsthoroughlyuntil thesugar isdissolved.Passthroughafinesieve.Placealightlyoiledpanovermedium-highheat.Whenhot,addabout¼cupofbatter,orenoughtocoverthebottomofthepanwhenswirled.Cookononesideonly.

1 In a bowl, combine the sushi ricewith the tobiko andwhite sesame seeds.Gentlymixuntiltheroeisevenlydistributedthroughouttherice.Dividethetobikoriceintofiveportions:2tablespoons,⅓cup(65g),2teaspoons,5teaspoons,and2⅔tablespoons.

2 Laytheomeletteflatonacuttingboard.Carefullysliceawaytheuppercornersof the bar in an arc to make the omelette into a long semicircle. Wrap theomeletteinoneofthe⅓half-sheets.

3 Shape2tablespoonofthetobikoriceintoa4-inch(10.5-cm)cylinderandplaceontheother⅓half-sheetofnori.Makeathinroundroll.

4 Dip a very sharp knife in vinegar water and cut the tobiko rice roll in halflengthwise.

5 Assemblealltheelements.Laythehalf-sheetofnorionthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparallelwiththeslats.Spreadthe⅓-cup(60-g)portionofriceoverthecenterofthenori,leavinga2-inch(5-cm)spaceoneitherside.

6 Shape2teaspoonsofthericeintoa4-inch(10.5-cm)longtriangularmountainshape.Placeinthecenterofthericeonthenori,paralleltotheslatsonthemat.

7 Placetheslicedthinrollfromstep4oneithersideofthe“mountain,”withthecutsidefacingup.Thesewillformtheeyes.

8 Spread 5 teaspoons of the rice to cover the tops of the eyes and the“mountain.”

9 Center thenori-wrappedomelette (themouth) fromstep2on topof the ricefromstep8,withtheroundedsidefacingup.

10 Shape a rectangular strip from the remaining 2⅔ tablespoons of rice tocoverthemouthandeyes.Placeontopoftheconstructionfromstep9.

11 Liftupthesushimat,pressingtherollintoacircularshape,andsealthenori.

Continuetoadjusttheshapetomakeaperfectcircle.Removethesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocuttherollinto4equalslices,wipingtheknifecleaneachtime.

Symmetrical DesignsTocreatesymmetricaldesigns,it’simportanttokeeptheleftandrightsidesuniformwhenspreadingorplacing thesushi rice.Also,clearlymarkthecentersoyouknowwheretoplacethevariouselementsforthebestresults.Accuratelymeasurethesushiriceportions,anduseconsistentpressurewhenspreadingtherice.Examplesofsymmetricaldesigns are Tulip Rolls (page 40), Penguin Rolls (page 46), and rolls

with⽇,thekanjicharacterfor“Sun”(page66).

Clown RollsFormasymmetricalroundrollforthefacefirst,thenaddthehat.Theoverall rollwillbearaindropshape.Reverse thecolorof the faceandsurrounding sushi rice in a second roll tomake a set of red and blueclowns.

MAKES4CLOWNPIECES

1¼cups(250g)preparedsushirice,divided

Nori:¼x4-in(6mmx10.5-cm)strip+⅜x4-in(1x10.5-cm)strip+½half-sheet + ¼ half-sheet + two⅓ half-sheets + 1½ half-sheets,“glued” togetherwith a bit of rice tomake an extended sheet 2

tablespoonspinkoborofishflakes1teaspoonaonoriflakes½teaspoontoastedwhitesesameseeds

1tablespoonmincednozawanapickledmustardgreensMayonnaisetotaste

JapaneseOmelette(seepage10),cutintoa¾x1¼x4-in(2x3x10.5-

cm)bar

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthpickledburdockroot

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthfishsausage,cutinhalflengthwise

TIPSSqueezeoutallliquidfrommincedpickledgreensbeforemixingintosushirice.•As in theSmileyFaceRolls, theeyesarecreatedbyslicinga thinroll inhalf.•Maketherollperfectlyround,andbecarefulnottodistorttheshapewhencutting.•Makesuretoformthefaceintoabalancedroundshapebeforeaddingthehat.

NoriPieces

1 Inabowl,combine⅔cup(130g)ofthesushiricewiththeoboroflakes.Gentlymixtodistributetheoboroevenlythroughouttomakepinkrice.Separateintothefollowingportions:5teaspoons;3½tablespoons;2teaspoons;2⅔tablespoons;5teaspoons;and2teaspoonsx2.

2 In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ¾ cup (150 g) of rice withmayonnaiseandstir.Sprinkle in thepickledgreens,sesameseeds,andaonori.Gentlymixtoblendall ingredientsevenly,beingcarefulnottobreakupthericegrains. Separate the green rice into portions of 7 tablespoons and 2 ⅔tablespoonsx2.

3 Make the hat. Set the JapaneseOmelette bar on its short side and cut twolengthwisewedgesfromthetopcenter tomakea long isosceles triangle.Thenlay the triangleon itssideandmake two lengthwisecuts todivide it into threeparts. Sandwich the two strips of nori between these pieces, then wrap theentirehatinthe½half-sheetofnori.

4 Makethemouthandnose.Wrapthepickledburdockrootinthe¼half-sheetofnoritomakethenose.Wrapthefishsausageinoneofthe⅓half-sheetsofnoriforthemouth.

5 Make the eyes. Spread the 5 teaspoons of pink rice on the second⅓ half-sheetofnoriandformintoaroundroll.Cutinhalflengthwise.

6 Assembletheface.Laythehalf-sheetofnorionthesushimat,withtheshortedgeparallel to theslats.Spread the3½tablespoonsofpinkoboro riceacrossthecenterof thehalf-sheet, leaving2⅜ inches(6cm)ofspaceonthe leftandrightsidesofthenori.Form2teaspoonsofpinkriceintoamountainshapeandplaceitinthemiddleofthespreadrice.

7 Placeahalfroundrollfromstep5oneithersideoftherice“mountain,”withcut side facing up, to form the eyes. Then place the “nose” of nori-wrappedpickledburdockfromstep4betweenthetwohalf-rolls.

8 Formthe2⅔tablespoonsofpinkriceintoarectangularstrip.Placethisontopoftheeyesandnose.

9 Placethe“mouth”fromstep4ontop,withthecurvedsidefacingup.Coveritwiththe5teaspoonsofpinkobororice.

10 Form the two2-teaspoonportionsofoboro rice into rows the lengthof theroll. Lift up the sushi mat and use these to fill in the sections that will be the“cheeks.”Wrap theelements,sealing thenori,androundout theshape.Placethesushimatonaflatsurfaceandcontinuetorollintoaperfectlycircularshape.

11 Assemble theentireroll.Lay theextendednorisheeton thesushimatwiththeshortedgeparalleltotheslats.Leaving2inches(5cm)oneitherendofthe

norisheet,spreadthe7tablespoonsofgreenaonoririceacrossthenori.

12 Place the round roll made in step 10 in the center of the rice so that the“face”isorientedupright.Placethenori-wrappedomelette“hat”fromstep3ontop.

13 Form the two 2 ⅔-tablespoon portions of green aonori rice into tworectangularstrips.Placeoneoneachsideofthe“hat“andpresstomoldthehat,rice,andfacetogether.

14 Liftthesushimatandgraduallyrollandcloseupthenori,sealingtheedgestogether.Usebothhandstoformtherollintoateardropshape.Removethesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocuttherollinto4equalslices,wipingtheknifecleanaftereachcut.

Samurai RollsThis gallant-looking warrior has eyebrows and amouthmade out of

Kanpyo Simmered Gourd. The face is rolled into a circle first, thenblack sesame-seed rice frames his face as hair. The ensemble iscompleted with a helmet that is forged with a pressed sushi method

usingvinegar-marinatedmackerel(shimesaba)andotheringredients.

FOR4SAMURAIHEADS

2cups(400g)preparedsushirice,divided

Nori: four⅓ half-sheets +½ half-sheet +¼ half-sheet + 1⅓ half-sheets, “glued” together with a bit of rice to make an extendedsheet+1⅔half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakean extended sheet 1½ tablespoons finely minced pickled ginger,drainedwell

1½tablespoonsgroundblacksesameseeds

½teaspoonyukarigroundshisopowderTwo1½x4-in(4x10.5-cm)stripsKanpyoSimmeredGourd(seepage10)(about1oz/20g)

Two4-in(10.5-cm)cylinderscheesekamaboko4-in(10.5-cm)stalknozawanapickledmustardgreens1teaspoontarakopollockroe

Completedhead

Completedhelmet

TIPSLineup thekanpyopieces for theeyebrowsandmouthbeforewrappingtheminnori.•Togivetheeyebrowsanarch,increasetheheightofthesushiricetowardtheouteredgeoftheeye.•Createaslightdepressionatthetopoffacebeforeaddingthehair for theentirehead.Amountainshape in thehairwillbeformedtofit intothisspace.•Cutasmallsectionof thetopof theheadbefore

placingthehelmetonthehead.

NoriPieces

1 Combine1heapingcup(220g)ofthesushiricewiththemincedpickledginger.Gently mix to incorporate the ginger throughout. Divide into portions of 3½tablespoons; 2 tablespoons x 2; 5 teaspoons x 4; 1 tablespoon; and 3½tablespoons.

2 Combine the remaining 1 scant cup (180 g) of the sushi ricewith the blacksesame seeds and ground shiso. Divide into portions of ½ cup (100 g) and 3½tablespoonsx2.

3 Sliceoneof thekanpyo strips inhalf lengthwise for theeyebrowsandwrapeachone ina⅓half-sheetofnori.Wraptheremainingwidestripofkanpyo inthe½half-sheetofnoritomakethemouth.

4 Wrapeachof thecheesekamabokosticks ina⅓half-sheetofnori tomaketheeyes.Wrapthe4-inchstalkofnozawanapickledgreensinthe¼half-sheetofnoriforthenose.

5 Laytheshorterextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortendparalleltotheslats.Inthecenterofthissheet,spreada3½tablespoonportionofginger

riceinamoundshapeabout2incheswide.Drapethekanpyo“mouth”ontopofthemound.

6 Place the two 2-tablespoon portions of ginger rice on either side of the“mouth”andsmoothitouttomakeanevensurface.Laythe“nose”inthecenterofthisandadda5-teaspoonportionofgingerriceoneitherside.Again,smoothandflattenoutthericetocreatealevelsurface.

7 Makeanothermountainshapefromthe1-tablespoonportionofgingerriceandplaceitontopofthenose.Setthenori-wrappedkamaboko“eyes”oneithersideandarrangea5-teaspoonportionofriceoneitherside,shapingthericesoitisa

littlehigherattheouteredges.Balancethenori-wrappedkanpyo“eyebrows”ontopoftheeyesatanangle.

8 Addthesecond3½-tablespoonportionofgingerriceon topof theeyebrowsand levelout thesurface.Liftup thesushimatandroll toseal thenori.Asnoriedgesaresealed,pressdownanddepressthetopoftheheadalittle.Roundouttheroll,butmakesurethedepressedarearemains.

9 Laythelongerextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortendparallelto theslats.Spread½cup(100g)of theblack-sesamerice in thecenterof thenori, leavingabout2¾ inches (7cm)oneitherside.Heapup the ricealong theedgesanddownthecenterofthecoveredarea.

10 Invert the “face” roll from step 8 and lay it on the black sesame rice. Theheapedricedownthecentershouldmatchthedepressionatthetopofthehead,and should frame the face at the sides. Lift up the sushi mat and add 3½tablespoonsofsesamericeoneachsideoftheface,pressingthericeingently.Sealthenori.

11 Use a very sharp knife dipped in vinegarwater to cut the roll into 4 equalslices, wiping the knife clean after each cut. Make small pieces of nori into

circlesforthecenteroftheeyes,andsprinklethetarakooverthecheeks.Makeahelmetforeachhead(seeopposite).Cuttheverytopoftheheadoffandsetthehelmetinplace.

FOR4HELMETS

2x4-in(5x10.5-cm)filletMarinatedMackerel(seesidebar)

Four2-in(5-cm)stemsnozawanapickledmustardgreensJapaneseOmelette(seepage10),cutintofour3⁄16x1¼x4-in(.5x3x10.5-cm)bars

2-in(5-cm)lengthkanikamaartificialcrab

1 Slicethemackereltoathicknessof3⁄16inch(5mm).Cutinhalftomaketwosquares,thencuteachsquarediagonallytomake4triangles,eachone2inches(5cm)longatthebase.

2 Shape3tablespoonsofthericeintoatrianglethesamesizeasthemackereltriangle, then place the mackerel on the rice. Repeat with each piece of

mackerel.

3 Decorate thehelmetwith theJapaneseOmelette, imitationcrabandpickledmustardgreenstemasshowninthephotosonpage37.

Marinated MackerelMarinatedmackerel(shimesaba)isfreshmackerelthathasbeencuredinricevinegar, ricewineandsugarovernight. It isacommon ingredient forsushi inJapanandyoucanfindit in largeAsianmarkets,butyoucanmakeyourowneasilybyfollowingthisrecipe.

2bonedfilletsfreshmackerel(approximately8oz/225g)atleast4in(10.5cm)long

Seasalttocoat

1¼cups(300ml)ricevinegar

½cup(120ml)mirin

5teaspoonssugar

1 Generouslysaltthemackerelfilletsandplaceinasinglelayeronashallowpanor container. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours (any longerwillmake the fleshtough),withthepantiltedslightlytowardoneendsothefishisnotsittinginanyliquidthatmaybeexpressed.

2 Rinsethesaltoffandpatthefishdrythoroughly.Combinethevinegar,mirin,andsugarinaliquidmeasuringcup,stiruntilsugarisdissolved,andpourintoaheavy-duty zip-top freezer bag. Add the mackerel filets and close the bagsecurely, eliminating asmuch air as possible. Refrigerate overnight, up to 15hours.Beforeuse,pulloffthetransparentouterskinofthefishbyhand,being

carefulnottoteartheflesh.

Rolls That Use Mountain ShapesFormingsushiriceintoamountainshapehelpsstabilizeandbalancethevariouselementsthatcompriseKazariSushi.Thesemoundsofriceare frequently used to fill in spaces for complex and advanceddesigns. Shape the specified portion of sushi rice tomatch the norisize that will be used, then vary the height and contours of themountainshapeasyouseefit.MorningGloryRolls(page42),SamuraiRolls(page37),PandaRolls(page62)andmanyotherdecorativerollsutilizethemountainshape.

Tulip RollsTheflowerismadeoutofcheesekamaboko fishcake,theleafoutofcucumber, and the planter out of Japanese Omelette. Sushi ricesegments will fill the space between the flower elements. Sushi rice

blendedwithikurasalmonroesurroundstheplanter,addingasplash

ofcolorandflavor.

MAKES4TULIPPIECES

1cupplus3tablespoons(240g)preparedsushirice,divided

Nori:1¼x4-in(3x10.5-cm)strip+⅔half-sheet+three½half-sheets+ 1½ half-sheets, “glued” togetherwith a bit of rice to make anextendedsheet

1tablespoonsalmonroe(ikura)JapaneseOmelette(seepage10),cuttoabarshape1¼x1¼x4in(3x3x10.5cm)

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthJapaneseorEnglishcucumber

4-in(10.5-cm)cylindercheesekamaboko

TIPSTakeextracareasyoushapethe“mountains”thatfitbetweentheflowerand the leaves, and keep the nori between them, which forms the stem, asstraightaspossible.•Prepareall ingredients inadvance,shapingthespecifiedportionsofsushi rice into the requiredshapesandsizesaheadof time. •Havetheflower,leaf,andplanterelementscloseathand,sinceyouwillbeholdingtherollinonehandasyouassemblethem.

NoriPieces

1 Combine 7 tablespoons of the sushi ricewith the salmon roe.Mix gently todistributeevenly.Divideintoportionsof2teaspoonsx2;2tablespoonsx2;and5teaspoons. Divide the remaining sushi rice into one ½-cup (100-g) portion andtwo2-tablespoonportions.

2 Make the flower. Cut out a small V shape along the length of the cheesekamaboko,referencingatulipshapeasyoudoso.

3 Maketheflowerpot.Cuta3⁄16-inch(5-mm)slicefromtheedgeoftheomeletteandsetaside.Cuteachsideoftheremaininglargeromeletteequallyataslightdiagonalsothatthebaseissmallerthanthetop.Thensandwichthe1¼-inch(3-cm) strip of nori between the two pieces.Wrap thewhole flowerpot in the⅔half-sheetofnori.

4 Maketheleaves.Cutthecucumberlengthwiseintothreeequalpieces.Wrapeach of the side pieces in a ½ half-sheet of nori, setting the center piece ofcucumberasideforanotheruse.

5 Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgeparalleltotheslats. Spread½ cup (100 g) of the sushi rice on the extended sheet, leaving a

space of 1⅝ inches (4 cm) on either side. Shape the 2-tablespoon portions ofsushiriceinto1¼-inch(3-cm)high“mountains”atthecenterofthenori,with⅜inch(1cm)betweenthem.

6 Have all ingredients close at hand as you assemble the roll. First, fold theremaining½half-sheetofnori inhalfandplacebetween the“mountains”with

the fold down. Place thekamaboko “flower” upside-down in themiddle.Wrapthenoriaroundtheflower.Then,keepingthenoritogetherandasstraightupaspossible,pressinthesushiriceoneithersidetoenclosethe“stem”andmakeaslope.

7 Holdingthesushimatinonehand,placeanori-wrappedcucumber“leaf”oneithersideofthe“stem,”withtheflatsideagainstthericeslope.

8 Tighteningthesushimatfromboththeleftandrightsides,add2teaspoonsofthesalmon-roericeoneithersideoftheleavesandlevelthesurface.

9 Placethenori-wrappedomelette“flowerpot”upside-downontop.Pressdownwithyourpalmtosecureit.

10 Filleachsideoftheplanterwith2tablespoonsofsalmon-roerice.Tightenthesushimatagainand thenadd theremaining5 teaspoonsofsalmon-roericeontop,smoothingittolevelthesurface.Sealthenoriandcompressthesushimat.

11 Remove thesushimatandplace the roll flat-side-downonacuttingboard.Coverwiththesushimatandpressfromthetoptoadjusttheshape.Removethesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocuttherollinto4equalslices,wipingtheknifecleanaftereachcut.

Morning Glory RollsThis beauty is made from a combination of thin-roll flowers andcucumber leaves.Andwith this recipe you canmake two differently-

hued flowersat the same time.This recipeusesoboro andpowdered

shiso to tint the two kinds of rice, but feel free to use just one color.Experiment with a variety of hues for a brilliant garden of morningglories.

MAKES4MORNINGGLORYPIECES

1¾cups(350g)preparedsushirice,divided

Nori:¾x4-in(2x10.5-cm)strip+1½x4-in(4x10.5-cm)strip+three½ half-sheets + ¾ half-sheet + 1½ half-sheets, “glued” togetherwithabit of rice tomakeanextendedsheet+¼half-sheet+⅓half-sheet4-in(10.5-cm)lengthJapaneseorEnglishcucumber

2teaspoonspinkoborofishflakes1teaspoonyukaridriedshisopowder1teaspoonwhitesesameseeds

2teaspoonsmincedpickledginger

NoriPieces

TIPSTheshapeandpositionofthesushi-rice“mountain”andthelayeringofthenoricanmakeorbreakthedesign.•Followthephotosandinstructionscarefully.

1 Combine5 tablespoonsof thesushi ricewith theoboro flakes.Gentlymix todistributeevenly,thendivideintothreeportionsof5teaspoonseach.

2 Combine5 tablespoonsof thesushi ricewith theyukari driedshisopowder.Gentlymix todistributecoloring throughout, thendivide into threeportionsof5teaspoonseach.

3 Divide the remainingsushi rice intoportionsof2 teaspoons;1 tablespoon;½cup;2tablespoonsx2;2teaspoonsx2;and3½tablespoons.Arrangeportionsinorderforeasysequentialassembly.

4 Maketheleaf.Cutthecucumberlengthwiseinto3equalpieces.Setthemiddlepiece aside for another use, and sandwich the ¾-inch (2-cm) strip of noribetweenthepieces.

5 Makethevine.Spreadthe2teaspoonsplainsushiriceevenlyacrossthe1½inches(4cm)pieceofnoriandmakeaverythinroundroll.

6 Maketheflower.Laya½half-sheetofnorionthesushimatwiththelongedgeparalleltotheslats.Placea5-teaspoonportionofobororiceonthelefthalfanda5-teaspoonportionofshisoriceontherighthalfandspreadoutevenly,leavinganarrowspaceatthetopandbottomedges.Makeathinroundroll.Repeatwithtwomoreofthe½half-sheetsofnoritomake3roundrollsinall.Sliceeachrolllengthwise. (You will only use 5 of the resulting half-rolls.)

7 Laythe¾half-sheetofnorionthesushimatwiththeshortedgeparalleltotheslats.Makingsurethatthefillingineachhalf-rollisfacingthesameway,place5of the half-rolls face-down on the nori, starting at the edge. Shape the 1-tablespoonportionof plain sushi rice intoacylinderandplace it on topof themiddlehalf-roll.Thenhold thesushimat inonehandandpress intoa roundedshape,sealingthenorishut.

8 Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortendparalleltotheslats.Leavingaspaceof31⁄8inches(8cm)ononeside,spreadthe½-cup(100-g) portionof plain sushi riceevenly across thenori. Scatter thepickledgingerandtoastedwhitesesameseedsoverthesurface.

9 Form2sushiricemountainsfromthe2-tablespoonportionsofplainsushiriceandplacethematthecenterofthericefromstep8.Foldthe⅓half-sheetofnoriinhalfandinsertitbetweenthetworicemountainswiththecreasefacingdown.

10 Fold the¼half-sheetofnori inhalfandplace thevery thin“vine” roll fromstep5inthemiddle.Spread2teaspoonsofsushiriceoneithersideoftheroll.

11 Insertthecucumberleaffromstep4inthefoldofthenoribetweenthetwosushi-ricemountains.Placethenoriandvinefromstep10nexttotheleftsushi-ricemountain,pressingthenorifirmlyagainsttheside.Ontheoutersideoftherightsushi-ricemountain,placetheflowerrollfromstep7.

12 Liftupthesushimatandgraduallycloseuptherollbypressingfromboththeleftandrightsides.Beforeclosingcompletely,coverthetopwiththeremaining3½tablespoonsofsushiriceinanevenlayer,thensealthenori.

13 Removethesushimatandplacethewholerollonacuttingboard.Covertheroll with the mat and press from the top, adjusting it into a rounded shape.Removethesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocuttherollinto4equalslices,wipingtheknifecleanaftereachcut.

Using Ingredients in Cross-SectionIngredientslikeJapaneseOmeletteandkamabokofishcakeareoftenusedinKazariRolls.Sometimesthenaturalshapesofthecomponentsflowintothedesign;atothertimes,theirshapesarealteredbycutting

orslicing.Theversatilityofcheesekamaboko,fishsausage,cucumberand pickled burdock root make them ideal ingredients. Cutting andpreparing the ingredients to ensure consistency in design nomatterwheretherollisslicedisasignofawell-madeKazariRoll.

Bell RollsThisrollincorporatesabellshapecutoutofaJapaneseOmelettepiece,

whichiswrappedinaonori-blendedsushirice.ServedalongsideSanta

Claus (page 52) and Reindeer (page 48) rolls, the combination isperfectfortheChristmasholidays.

MAKES4BELLPIECES

1scantcup(180g)preparedsushirice,divided

Nori: two ½ half-sheets + two ¼ half-sheets + 1⅓ half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakeanextendedsheet

JapaneseOmelette(seepage10),cutinto1¼x1¼x4-in(3x3x10.5-cm)and¼x1⅜x4-in(.5x3.5x10.5-cm)bars4-in(10.5-cm)lengthpickledburdockroot

4-in(10.5-cm)stalknozawanapickledmustardgreens½teaspoonmayonnaise

½teaspoontoastedwhitesesameseeds

1teaspoonaonoridriedlaverflakes

TIPS Stir the mayonnaise into the sushi rice before adding the aonori andtoastedwhitesesameseeds.•Useasmoothmotiontocarvetheomeletteintoaprettycurvedlineforthebellshape.•Tightlyfillthespaceoneeithersideofthe

bellwithaonoriricebeforeassemblingtheentireroll.•Tocenterthebellintheroll,addequalamountsofriceoneithersideoftheroll.

NoriPieces

1 In a small bowl, combine the sushi rice and the mayonnaise. Stir gently todistribute,thenaddthesesameseedsandsprinkletheaonoriover.Gentlymixtocombine. Divide into one ½-cup (100-g) portion, and four 5-teaspoon (20-g)portions.

2 Makethebell.Cutthe largerpieceofJapaneseOmelette intoaroundedbellshape.Cutthesmallerpieceintoatrapezoidalshape,shavingthe leftandrightsides slightly at an angle.Wrap each omelette piece in a½ half-sheet of nori.Stackthelargerpieceontopofthesmallerpiecetoformthe“bell.”

3 Sliceoffaroundedpartofthepickledburdockroottomakeaflatsurfaceandwrapinoneofthe¼half-sheetsofnori.Wrapthenozawanastalkintheother¼half-sheetofnori.

4 Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgeparalleltotheslats.Spreadthe½-cup(100-g)portionofriceacrossthesheet,leavingaspaceof1½inches(4cm)oneitherside.Pressdowntomakea⅜-inch(1-cm)furrowinthemiddleoftherice.

5 Place the nori-wrapped burdock root in the furrow, with the rounded sidedown. Place the omelette “bell” on top of the burdock, followed by the nori-wrappedstalkofpickledgreens.

6 Shapetwoofthe5-teaspoonportionsofriceintoflattenedrectangularstripsandpressoneintoeachsideofthebell.

7 Lift up the sushi mat and compress. Add the remaining two 5-teaspoonportionsofricetoeithersideofthewrappedstalkofpickledgreens.Smooththericetocreatealevelsurface.Closetherollandsealthenori.

8 Removethesushimatandplacethecompletedrollonacuttingboard.Covertherollwith thesushimatandadjust theshape intoasquarebypressingfromabove.

9 Remove thesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedipped invinegarwater tocuttherollinto4equalslices,wipingtheknifecleaneachtime.

Penguin Rolls

Thepenguin’sampletorsoismadebystickingtwopiecesofkamabokofish cake together. Because of this, thisKazariRoll contains less ricethan others. The wings are constructed separately, then sliced andattachedattheend.Tryoutdifferentexpressionsbycuttingvariouseyeshapesoutofnori.

MAKES4PENGUINPIECES

Nori:¼ half-sheet + 2 half-sheets + four⅓ half-sheets + 1⅔ half-sheets, “glued” together with a bit of rice to make an extendedsheet+additionalsmallpiecesfortheeyes

2tablespoonsgroundblacksesameseeds

1teaspoonyukaridriedshisopowder1teaspoonpinkoborofishflakes⅜x⅜x4-in(1x1x10.5-cm)barJapaneseOmelette(seepage10)2half-moonbarskamaboko fishcake,⅜x2x4 in (1x5x10.5cm)each

TIPSWrapthekamabokopiecestogethertightlywithnori.Ifthenoriseemstobeloosening,securetheendswithafewgrainsofrice.•It’seasiertoconstructthepenguin’sheadbyformingthesushiriceintoarectangularstripfirst.

1 Combine2tablespoonsofthesushiricewith1teaspoonofoboro.Gentlymixtoblend,thendivideintotwoequalportions.

2 Combine¾cup(150g)ofthesushiricewiththeblacksesameseedsandshisopowder.Gentlymixtodistributeevenly.Divideintoportionsof5teaspoonsx2,4tablespoons,and5tablespoons.

3 Makethebeak.CuttheJapaneseOmeletteintoalongtrianglewith⅜-inch(1-cm)sides.Wrapinthe¼half-sheetofnori.

4 Make the torso.Put the twohalf-moonbarsofkamaboko togetherandwrap

tightly in a half-sheet of nori, securing the end with a few grains of rice ifnecessary.

5 Maketheeyes.Spreadonetablespoonoftheplainsushiriceononeofthe⅓half-sheetsofnoriandmakearoundthinroll.Repeat.

6 Makethefeet.Form1tablespoonoftheobororiceintoaflattenedlog.Placeona⅓half-sheetofnoriandmakeanellipticalroll.Repeat.Placetheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Setthetwo

obororollsinthecenterandplacethenori-wrapped“torso”ontop.

7 Form two 5-teaspoon portions of the sesame rice into 4-inch (10.5-cm) longcylinders; set these on top of the torso. Place the nori-wrapped “beak” inbetweenthem,andsetthe“eyes”fromstep5ontop.

8 Shape the 4-tablespoon portion of sesame rice into a rectangle about 2⅜inches(6cm)wide,makingsurethethickness isuniform.Laythisontopoftheeyestocompletethehead.

9 Liftupthesushimatandtighten,sealingthenoriedgesattheend.Useafewricegrainstosecuretheroll.

10 Removethesushimat, turntherollon itssideandcompresswiththesushimat.Adjust the shape to forma rounded head and balanced body.Use a verysharp knife dipped in vinegar water to slice the roll into 4 pieces, wiping the

bladecleaneachtime.

11 Makethewings.Form5tablespoonsofthesesamericeintoa1½-inch(4-cm)highlogthelengthofahalf-sheetofnori.Placeahalf-sheetofnorionthesushimatwith the longedgesparallel to theslatsandmakea longelliptical roll.Cutthelongrollinhalf,thencuteachhalfintoquarterstomake8piecesor4pairsofwings,wipingthebladecleaneachtime.Attach2wingstoeachPenguinslice.Cutoutnorieyesanddecorate.

Reindeer RollsThisroll takesaclassicdate-maki sweetrolledomeletteandcleverly

shapesitintoreindeerantlers.Theomeletteisunrolledandfilledwithsushi rice. The face is constructed separately and combined with theantlersattheend,butkeepinmindtheoverallbalanceasyoucreatethemultiplecomponents.

MAKES4REINDEERPIECES

Nori: three⅓ half-sheets + ½ sheet + 1⅔ half-sheets, “glued”together with a bit of rice to make an extended sheet + 8 smallcircles(fortheeyes)

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthKanpyoSimmeredGourd(page10)(about¼oz/10g)

Two4-in(10.5-cm)cylinderscheesekamaboko2tablespoonstorisoboroSimmeredGroundChicken(seepage10)

4-in(10.5-cm)rollSweetBakedOmelette(seesidebar)

TIPSAdjust theamountof rice fillingdependingon the sizeof theomelette. •When the “antlers” are filled with rice, the opening between them should beabout⅜inch(1cm).

NoriPieces

Sweet Baked OmeletteDate Maki

2 oz (50 g) hanpen fish cake (you can substitute shelled shrimp,scallops,orverywell-drainedtofu)

½tablespoonsake

1tablespoonmirin

½tablespoonsugar

½teaspoonhoney

½teaspoonsoysauce

1 Line a 4 x 8-inch (10.5 x 20-cm) loaf panwith parchment. Preheat oven to390°F(200°C).

2 Cut the hanpen into small pieces. Whisk the eggs well. Combine allingredients in a blender and purée until smooth. Strain twice through a finesieve,thenpourintoparchment-linedloafpanandbakefor20minutesoruntilslightlybrownontop.Broilfor2minutestobrownifnecessary.

3 Lift parchment out of pan and set omelette on a flat surface. Use a sharp

knifetoscorethesurfacecrosswiseat2-inchintervals.Placethesushirollingmatontopoftheomelette,withtheslatsparallelwiththelongedge.Inverttheomeletteandremovetheparchment.

4 Usethesushimattorolltheomeletteintoacylinder,thenrolltheentiremataround(notinto)theomelette.Securewithrubberbandsandplaceupright.Putaplateunderneathtocatchmoisturethatseepsfromtheomeletteasitcools.

5 Whencool,cuta4-inch(10.5-cm)lengthtouseintheReindeerRoll.

1 Make the nose. Place the Kanpyo Simmered Gourd on one of the⅓ half-sheetsofnori.Startingatthefrontedge,rollthenoritightlyintoathinroll.Wrap

akamabokocylinderineachoftheothertwo⅓half-sheetstomaketheeyes.

2 Combine½cup(100g)ofthesushiricewiththegroundchicken.Gentlystirtodistribute evenly. Divide into portions of ¼ cup (50 g); 5 teaspoons; and 3½tablespoons.Dividetheremainingsushiriceintoportionsof½cup(100g)and1tablespoonx2.

3 Make the face. Lay a half-sheet of nori on the sushimat, aligning the shortedgeswiththeslats.Placethenori-wrappedkanpyo“nose”inthecenter.Placethe¼-cup(50-g)portionofground-chickenriceontopofthenoseandshapeintoa2¾-inch(7-cm)widerectangle.

4 Placethetwonori-wrappedkamaboko“eyes”oneitheredgeoftherectangle.Fillthespacebetweenthemwith5teaspoonsofground-chickenrice.

5 Shapethe3½-tablespoonportionofriceintoarectangleandplaceitontopoftheeyes.Pressdowngentlytounifyallingredients,thenliftupthematandwrapthenoriaroundeverything.Compressgently.

6 Removethesushimatandinverttherollsothenoseisatthetop.Placeonacutting board. Cover the roll with the sushi mat and shape into a triangle bypressingfromthetopasshown.

7 Make the“antlers.”Spread theomeletteand fillwithabout½cup (100g)ofplain sushi rice (adjust the amount of rice based on the size of the omelette).Lightlypresswithsushimat.

8 Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimat.Placetheantlersfromstep7inthecenterwiththeopensidedown.Setthe“face”rollfromstep6ontheantlers,orientedwith thenoseat the top. Fill in thespaceoneithersideof theantlerswiththetwo1-tablespoonportionsofsushirice.

9 Liftupthesushimatandpressfromeachside,closingupthenori.Securetheendsofthenoriwithafewgrainsofrice.

10 Remove thesushimatandplace the rollonacuttingboardwith theantlersidedown.Covertherollwiththesushimatandadjustintoatriangularshapebypressingfromthetop.Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertoslicetheroll into 4 pieces, wiping the blade after each cut. Add small nori circles todecoratetheeyes.

Inside-Out Rolls (Ura-maki)Theinside-outmethodisusuallyassociatedwithCaliforniaRolls(page106). This technique of rolling with the rice on the outermost layerbroadens the options for rolled sushi designs and is a welcomechange forpeoplewhomaynotbe fansofnori.Cover thesushimatwithplasticwraptokeepthericefromstickingtothemat;theplasticwraphelpswhenslicingtherollsaswell.

Train Car RollsThe train car is made from Japanese Omelette and kamaboko fishcake,whilesushiriceblendedwithtarakopollockroeformstheouter

layerof this inside-outroll.The“wheels”areconstructedfromcheese

kamabokowrappedinasinglepieceofnori.Severalslicescanbelined

uptocreateatraineffect.

MAKES4TRAINCARPIECES

¾cup(150g)preparedsushirice

Nori: three⅜-in (1-cm)strips+2-in (5-cm)piecehalf-sheet+6¾-in(17-cm)piecehalf-sheet+1⅓half-sheet,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakeanextendedsheet

Kamabokofishcake,cutintoa⅜x2x4-in(1x5x10.5-cm)rectangleJapaneseOmelette (seepage 10), cut into a⅝ x 2 x 4-in (1.5 x 5 x10.5-cm)rectangle

2tablespoonstarakopollockroeTwo4-in(10.5-cm)cylinderscheesekamaboko

Liningupmultiplesliceslookssocheerful.

TIPSTrytoslicetheJapaneseOmeletteandkamabokoasevenlyaspossible.Aruler or cutting board with marked measuring lines is helpful. • To keep thewheels from shifting or distorting,measure the distance between themand fillthe space completely with sushi rice. • Complete the roll by shaping it into arectangle.Viewthedesignfromthesidetoadjusttheshape.

NoriPieces

1 Makethetraincar.Cutthekamabokorectanglelengthwiseinto4equalpieces.Sandwicha⅜-inch(1-cm)stripofnoribetweeneachkamabokosliceandstackthemtogether.

2 Placethe2-inch(5-cm)pieceofnoriontopoftheJapaneseOmelette.Putthekamabokostructurefromstep1ontop.Wrapeverythinginthe6¾-inch(17-cm)pieceofnori.

3 Combine thesushi riceand the tarakopollock roe.Mixgently to incorporateanddivideintoa½-cup(100-g)portionanda¼-cup(50g)portion.

4 Assemble the entire roll. Cover the sushimatwith plasticwrap and lay theextendednorisheetonitwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Spreadthe½-cup(100-g)portionofriceevenlyacrossthenori,leavinga1½-inch(4-cm)spaceoneitherside.

5 Flipthenorioversothatthetarakoriceisnowonthebottom.

6 Placethe“traincar”fromstep2inthecenteroftheextendednorisheet,withthe kamaboko side facing down. Place a cheese kamaboko cylinder¾ inch (2cm)fromeitheredge.

7 Wrap the underlying nori once around the cheese kamaboko to make thewheels.Eachwrappedcheesekamabokocylindershouldberestingontheedgeofthespreadricebeneath.

8 Liftthesushimatandsqueezeinboththeleftandrightsides,liftingthecheesekamaboko“wheels”ontothetraincar.

9 Spreadtheremaining¼cup(50g)ofriceonandbetweenthewheels.Presstocreatealevelsurface.

10 Encasetheroll inthesushimatandtighten,compressingtoformtheentirerollintoarectangularshape.

11 RemovethesushimatandplacetheTrainCarrollonacuttingboard.Covertherollwiththesushimatandadjusttheshapefurther.Lookatthedesignfromthesideasyouadjust.

12 Removethesushimat,keepingtheplasticaroundtheroll.Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertoslicetherollinto4pieces,wipingthebladecleanaftereachcut.

Santa Claus RollsBuild the face and hat, then attach a beardmade from an inside-outroll. The different additions to the rice offer a range of red hues forvisualinterest.Thedecorativeeyebrows,eyes,mouthandpom-pomareaddedaftertherollissliced.

MAKES4SANTACLAUSPIECES

1½cups(300g)preparedsushirice,divided

Nori:⅔half-sheet+1half-sheet,cutcrosswiseintothirds+¾half-sheet+1½half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakean extended sheet + small pieces for the eyes and mouth 1

teaspoontarakopollockroe2teaspoonspinkoborofishflakes2teaspoonstobikoflying-fishroe½teaspoontoastedwhitesesameseeds

2teaspoonsfinelymincedpickledginger

2x¼x4-in(5x.5x10.5-cm)piecekamabokofishcakeTwo4-in(10.5-cm)cylinderscheesekamaboko

TIPSMakesurethattheface,hattrim,andbaseofthehatareequalinwidth.•Useacuttingboardwithmeasurements tomonitor the lengthof thehatasyoushape the roll. •When forming thebeard, shape the sushi ricewith the fullestpartinthecenter,thentapertheedgesintoagentlemountainshape.

1 Setaside2 tablespoonsofplainsushirice.Combine8 tablespoons(100g)oftheremainingricewiththetarakoandgentlymixuntilevenlydistributed.Divideintotwoequalportions.Combine6tablespoons(60g)of thesushiricewiththe

oboroflakesandthetobikoflying-fishroe.Combinetheremaining½cup(100g)ofsushiricewiththesesameseedsandpickledginger.

2 Wrapthekamabokorectangleinthe⅔half-sheetofnoritomakethehattrim.Wrapeachof thecheesekamabokosticks in⅓half-sheetofnori for thenoseandthehatpom-pom.

3 Spread the 2 tablespoons plain sushi rice on the remaining⅓ half-sheet ofnoriandrollintoaflattenedovalfortheeyebrows.

4 Assemblethefaceandhat.Placethenosefromstep2onthe¾half-sheetofnori.Placethetwoportionsof tarako riceoneithersideof thenose.Spreadtocoverthenoseandformintoatrapezoidshape.

5 Liftupthesushimatandadjusttheshapeoftherollintoahalfcircle.Placethehattrimfromstep2ontopofthetarakorice.

6 Makethebeard.Coverthesushimatwithplasticwrapandplacetheextendednorisheetontopwiththeshinysideup.Placethewhitesesameseedriceinamoundinthemiddleofthenori.Keepingthecenterhigherthantherest,spreadthericetoawidthof4inches(10.5cm),formingashallowarcwhenviewedfromtheside.

7 Flipthericeandnoricombinationupsidedownsothatthericesidefacestheplasticwrap.

8 Form thehat from theoboro-tobiko ricebyshaping it intoa 4-inch (10.5-cm)longtrianglewith2-inch(5-cm)sides.

9 PlacetheSantafacefromstep5ontopofthenorifromstep7.Placethehatfromstep8ontop.

10 Liftupthesushimatandtightenfromboththeleftandrightsides.Letthenoriadhere toeachsideof thehat.Continuecompressing the roll, forming it intoaraindropshape.

11 Removethesushimat,butkeeptheplasticwraparoundtherollandholdittostabilize the roll as you cut.Use a very sharp knife dipped in vinegarwater toslicetheplastic-wrappedrollinto4pieces,wipingthebladecleaneachtime.

12 Slicethepom-pomrollfromstep2into4equalpieces.Cut8thinslicesfromthe eyebrow roll from step 3 (part of the rollwill be left over). Cut eyes and amouthfromnoriforeachSantaslice.DecorateeachSantaslicewithapom-pom,eyebrows,eyesandmouth.

Rolls Featuring a “Branch” Made outof Kanpyo Simmered GourdFlowers, trees and other naturemotifs are commonly used in KazariSushiRolls.Usingsimmeredgourdwrappedinnoriworkswellforthis,as it’s easy to adjust the thickness, and its malleability is great forbranches and stems for flower and tree designs. This versatility isshowcased in the Flowering Cherry Tree Rolls (page 56), thePersimmonRolls(page58)andthePineTreeRolls(page60).

Sunflower RollsThe stalk is formed by wrapping nori around a piece of KanpyoSimmeredGourd.Multiplehalf-rollsofellipticalthinrollsarepressedtogethertomaketheflowerpetals.Toachievetheyellowofthepetals,JapaneseOmeletteismixedintotherice.ThisKazariRollisafantasticwaytouseupomelettescrapsfromotherrolls.

Nori:three½half-sheets+six⅓half-sheets+two¾x4-in(2x10.5-cm)strips+⅔half-sheet+1½half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabit of rice to make an extended sheet 2 teaspoons tori soboroSimmeredGroundChicken(seepage10)

2tablespoonsmincedJapaneseOmelette(seepage10)

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthJapaneseorEnglishcucumber

1½x 4-in (4 x 10.5-cm) stripKanpyoSimmeredGourd (see page 10)(about½oz/15g)

TIPSBesurethethinrollsfortheflowerpetalsareuniforminthickness.•Useonesmoothmotion tocut them lengthwise,andwaituntil thenori feelsslightlymoist to the touch. •Add thepetalsoneata timeasyouassemble the flower,openingthesushimatalittleasyourotatetheroll.•Whenit’salltogether,wraptheflowerrolltightlysothatitkeepsitsshape.

NoriPieces

1 Combine4tablespoonsofthesushiricewiththegroundchickenandsetaside.

2 Combine⅓cup(65g)ofthesushiricewiththemincedomelette.Divideintosixequalportionsof1tablespooneach.

3 Divide the remaining sushi rice into a ½-cup (100-g) portion and two 2½-tablespoonportions.

4 Spread theground-chicken riceona½half-sheetofnori andmakea roundroll.

5 Makethepetals.Spreada1-tablespoonportionoftheomelettericelengthwiseacross a⅓ half-sheet of nori and roll. Press the roll from the top to form anellipticalroll.Repeatwithremainingomelettericeand⅓half-sheetstomake6rolls.Cuteachrollinhalflengthwisetomake12long,thinpetals.

6 Place the chicken-rice roll from step 4 on the sushi mat; this will form thecenteroftheflower.Addingoneatatime,arrangethecutomeletteroll“petals”from step 5 around the chicken-rice rollwith their cut sides facing the center.Keeprotatingtheflowerinsidethesushimatasyouaddthepetals.

7 Once all 12 petals are in place, enclose the flower in the sushi mat andcompresstightlyintoaroundroll.

8 Make the leaves. Slice one of the cucumbers lengthwise into 3 equal parts.Settingasidethecenterforanotheruse,sandwicha¾-inch(2-cm)stripofnoribetweenthetwooutsidepieces.Wrapbothpiecesin½half-sheetofnori.Repeatwiththesecondcucumber.

9 Make the flowerstem.Spread theKanpyoSimmeredGourd toawidthof1½inches(4cm).Placeonthe⅔half-sheetofnoriandwrap.

10 Assemble theentireroll.Lay theextendednorisheeton thesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Evenlyspread½cup(100g)ofthesushiriceonthenori, leavingaspaceof1½ inches(4cm)at theedges.Placethe flowerfromstep7inthecenteroftherice.

11 Placetheflowerstemfromstep9ontopoftheflower.Symmetricallyplaceacucumber“leaf”fromstep8oneachsideofthestalk.

12 Fillthespaceabovetheleaveswith2½tablespoonsofsushiriceperside.Liftupthesushimatandsealthenori,tightlywrappingthecontents.

13 Remove the sushimat andplace the roll onacuttingboard.Cover the rollwith the sushi mat again and adjust the shape by pressing from above, thenremovethemat.Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertoslicetherollinto4pieces,wipingthebladecleanaftereachcut.

Flowering Cherry Tree RollsThe charming Flowering Cherry Tree Rolls take advantage of the

naturaltextureofKanpyoSimmeredGourd.UnlikemanyotherKazariRolls,thefeaturedimageisnotwrappedinnori.Addingpinksushiricegraduallycreatestheeffectofbranchessproutingfromthetrunk,alongwithaprofusionofblossoms.Varytheamountofsushiriceaddedforanasymmetrical,morenatural-lookingtree.

MAKES4FLOWERINGCHERRYTREEPIECES

Nori: three ¹⁄6half-sheets+1⅔halfsheets,“glued” togetherwithabitofricetocreateanextendedsheet

¾ x 4-in (2 x 10.5-cm) strip Kanpyo Simmered Gourd (see page 10)(about¾oz/25g)

5teaspoonspinkoborofishflakes

2teaspoonsmincedpickledginger

1teaspoonmentaikospicedpollockroe½teaspoonaonorilaverflakes1teaspoonfinelymincednozawanapickledmustardgreens

TIPSKeepinmindthatthetreetrunkwillneedtobecenteredwhenplacingthefirstmoundofsushi rice.•The twosushi-ricemountainswill risehigherat theleftandrightedges.Whenyouaddthem,stabilizethetrunkbyfirmlypressingthesushiriceoneitherside.•Shapethepinkriceintoahalf-circlebeforeplacingitontherollwillproducebetterresults.

NoriPieces

1 Combine¾ cup (150 g) of the sushi ricewith theoboro andminced pickledginger. Gently mix to incorporate. Divide into the following portions: 3½tablespoons; 5 teaspoons; 2½ tablespoons; 7 tablespoons.Divide the remainingplain sushi rice into portions of 7 tablespoons; 2⅔ tablespoons x 2; and 3½tablespoons.

2 Sandwich theKanpyoSimmeredGourdbetween twoof the ¹⁄6half-sheetsofnori.Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgeparalleltotheslats.Spread the7 tablespoonsofplain sushi riceon thenori, leavinga 2-inch(5-cm)spaceoneitherside.Sprinklethesesameseedsevenlyovertherice.

3 I dentify the center of the rice foundation from step 2, then form the 2⅔-tablespoonportion of sushi rice into amountain shape. Place themountain sothat the right edge is at the center of the spread rice. The left side of themountainshouldbemoresharplysloped.

4 Placethenori-wrappedkanpyo“trunk”ontherightsideofthemountainfromstep3.Makesurethetrunkisrightonthecenterofthesushi-ricebase.

5 Form the second 2⅔-tablespoonportionof sushi rice into anothermountainandplaceitontherightsideofthetreetrunk.Theslopeshouldbesteeperontherightside,matchingtheheightofthemountainontheleft.

6 Sprinklespicedpollockroeontheinnerslopesofeachmountain.

7 Shapethe3½-tablespoonportionofpinkoboro rice intoacylinderandplaceontherightsideofthetrunk.Shapethe5-teaspoonportionofpinkobororiceintoacylinderandplaceontheleftsideofthetrunk.

8 Foldthethird¹⁄6half-sheetofnoriinhalflengthwise.Splitthetopofthekanpyotrunkandinsertthenoriwiththefoldededgedown.PressitontothekanpyoandcreateaVshape.

9 Shapethe2½-tablespoonportionofpinkoboro rice intoacylinderandplaceontheleftsideofthetrunk.

10 Shapethe7-tablespoonportionofpinkobororiceintoa4-inch(10.5-cm)longhalf-circleandplaceontopofthestructurefromstep9.

11 Liftupthesushimatandtightenfromboththeleftandrightsides.Spreadtheremaining plain sushi rice to cover the top of the “tree” and seal the nori,pressing firmly. Remove the sushi mat and place the roll on a cutting board.Covertherollwiththesushimatandadjusttheshapebypressingfromabove.

12 Removethesushimat.Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertoslicethe roll into 4 pieces, wiping the blade clean each time. Mix the aonori laverflakesandthechoppedpickledgreenstogetherandsprinklealittleatthebaseofeachtreeforthe“grass.”

Persimmon RollsThekeypointofthisroll istobalanceofalltheelements.Thedesignincludesthepersimmonfruit,thestem,twoleavesandasimplesushi-ricebackground,whichallmakesforaprettycomposition.

MAKES4PERSIMMONPIECES

Nori:1¼x4-in(3x10.5-cm)strip+⅔half-sheet+two⅓half-sheets+¾half-sheet+1½half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakeanextendedsheet

1tablespoontobikoflying-fishroe⅜x4-in(1x10.5-cm)stripKanpyoSimmeredGourd(seepage10)2⅜x4-in(6x10.5-cm)stripKanpyoSimmeredGourd(seepage10)4-in(10.5-cm)lengthJapaneseorEnglishcucumber

¼oz(10g)spinach,blanchedandsqueezed

TIPSBecause the stem (shorter branch)will be vertical, itwill be inserted bymakinganarrowopeninginthesushiricewithakitchenknife.•Planthepositionand direction of the branch and leaves prior to placing them. • Be sure tomeasure the sushi-rice portions accurately. The design is deliberatelyasymmetricalandusingtheexactportionswillmaketheassemblyeasier.•Packthe rice firmly to prevent pockets of space from opening up and distorting the

design.

NoriPieces

1 Combine⅓cup(65g)ofthesushiricewiththetobikoflying-fishroeandsetaside. Divide the plain sushi rice into the following portions: ½ cup (100 g); 2teaspoons;5teaspoonsx2;1tablespoonx2;and3tablespoons.

2 Make2branches.Arrangethe⅜-inch(1-cm)stripofkanpyoontothe1¼-inch(3-cm)stripofnoriandwrap.Arrangethe2⅜-inch (6-cm)stripofkanpyoontothe⅔half-sheetofnoriandwrap.

3 Maketheleaves.Cut4sidesofthecucumberawaytomakeasquarebar.Setasidethebarforanotheruse.Sandwich2oftheouterpiecestogetherwiththepeel facing out. Wrap in ⅓ half-sheet of nori. Repeat with other 2 outercucumberpieces.

4 Makethepersimmon.Cutthespinachtoalengthof4inches(10.5cm).Placeinthemiddleof the¾half-sheetofnori.Shapethe tobiko rice intoacylinderandplaceontopofthespinach.Pressgentlytoflattenslightly.

5 Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Spreadthe½cup(100g)ofplainsushiriceacrossthenori, leavingaspaceof1½inches(4cm)oneitherside.Sprinklethesesameseedsevenlyovertherice.

6 Formamountainoutofthe2-teaspoonportionofplainsushiriceandplaceinthecenterofthericebed.Placeoneoftheleavesfromstep3ontherightside,positioningittofacediagonallydownward.Arrangea5-teaspoonportionofsushiricealongtherightsideoftheleaf.

7 Shape5teaspoonsofplainsushiriceintoa¾x4-inch(2x10.5-cm)rectangle.Usingakitchenknife,makeavertical incision in thecenterof the ricewithout

cuttingallthewaythrough.Inserttheshorterpieceofnori-wrappedkanpyofromstep2intheincision.Thenplacethericeontopofthepersimmonrolltoconnectthe“branch”tothespinachsideofthepersimmon.

8 Take the longerbranchfromstep2andplace itdiagonallyon topof the leafassembly from step 6. Place the other wrapped leaf on the right edge of thebranch.

9 Fill the leftsideof thebranchwitha1-tablespoonportionofsushi rice, thenplace the persimmon construction from step 7 on topwith the shorter branchsidefacingdown.

10 Fill the space between the leaves and persimmon with the second 1-tablespoonportionofsushirice.

11 Liftthesushimatandtightenfromboththeleftandrightsides.Coverthetopwiththeremaining3tablespoonssushirice,thensealthenoriandwraptightly.Removethesushimatandplacetherollonacuttingboard.Cover therollwiththe sushimat and adjust the shape by pressing from the top, then remove thesushimat.Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertoslicetheroll into4pieces,wipingthebladecleaneachtime.

Pine Tree RollsThepinetreeisaverypopulardesignandisapartofthepine-bamboo-plumtriothatsymbolizesgoodfortuneinJapan.Forthisroll,layersofKanpyo SimmeredGourd arewrapped in nori tomake a sturdy treetrunk. Different amounts of sushi rice fill the space beside the treetrunk;theoverallbalanceisdependentonthecompositionofthepineleaves and the S-shaped curve representing the trunk and branches.Although this is a serene and understated design, the flavor is lively

because of the bettarazuke white pickled daikon and tsukudani(seafood,meator seaweed simmered inmirin and soy sauce) that areaddedtothesushirice.

MAKES4PINETREEPIECES

Nori:1half-sheet+1½half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakeanextendedsheet

2tablespoonsfinelymincedbettarazukewhitepickleddaikon

1tablespoonaonorilaverflakes2teaspoonsgreentobikoflying-fisheggs1 teaspoon ami no tsukudani soy-simmered shrimp (or other finelyminced tsukudani ingredient (see page 10) ½ tablespoon groundblacksesameseeds

Two2x4-in (5x10.5-cm)stripsKanpyoSimmeredGourd (seepage10)(about1oz/30g)

TIPSThestripsofkanpyoare layered inaparticularway toachievea thickertrunk and thinner branch tips. • To showcase the bend of the trunk, create asmooth curvewith the nori-wrappedkanpyo. •Lightly compress the sushi riceforming the branches and the space between branches into cylinders beforeadding,andpressthemfirmlytostabilizetheoverallstructure.

NoriPieces

1 Combine1cup(200g)ofthesushiricewiththemincedbettarazukeandgentlymixtoincorporate.Divideintothefollowingportions:½cup(100g),5teaspoonsx2;3½tablespoonsx2.

2 Combine½cup(100g)ofthesushiricewiththeaonorilaverflakesandgreentobiko flying-fish roe and gently mix to incorporate. Divide into portions of 3½tablespoons,2½tablespoons,and5teaspoons.

3 Combine the remaining¼cup (50g) sushi ricewith the tsukudani andblacksesameseedsandgentlymixtoincorporate.Divideintotwoequalportions.

4 Makethetrunk.LayonestripofKanpyoSimmeredGourdacrossthecenterofthehalf-sheetofnori.Layer thesecondstripon topso the frontpart is thicker.

Foldthenoriinthirdsaroundthekanpyolayers.

5 Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Spreadthe½-cup(100-g)portionofwhitebettarazukericeevenlyoverthenori,leavinga2-inch(5-cm)spaceoneitherside.

6 Shapethe3½-tablespoonportionofgreenriceintoaflatcylinderabout1inch(2.5cm)wideandplaceitinthecenterofthewhitebettarazukerice.Shapea5-teaspoonportionofbettarazuke rice into a cylinder and lean it against the leftsideofthegreenrice.

7 Place the “trunk” from step 4 on top of the green ricewith the thinner sidefacingdown.Form3½tablespoonsof thewhitebettarazuke rice intoacylinderandplaceitagainsttherightsideofthetrunk.Curvethetrunktowardtheright.

8 Shape2½tablespoonsofthegreenriceintoacylinderandstackontopofthewhite bettarazuke rice on the right side of the trunk. Do the same with a 5-teaspoonportionofgreenriceandplaceitontheleftside.

9 Shape3½tablespoonsofthewhitebettarazukericeintoacylinderandstackitontopofthegreenriceontheleftside.Dothesamewitha5-teaspoonportionof

bettarazukericeandplaceitontherightside.Curvethetrunktotheleft.

10 Place a portion of brown tsukudani rice on either side of the trunk. Gentlypressandshapetomakethesurfacesmoothandeven.

11 Liftthesushimatandtightenfromboththeleftandrightsides.Sealthenoriandwraptightly.Removethesushimatandplaceonacuttingboard.Coverwithasushimatandadjusttheshapebypressingfromabove,thenremovethesushimat.Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertoslicetherollinto4pieces,wipingthebladecleaneachtime.

Adding “Ears” to Animal-Shaped RollsAnimals and popular animal characters make great Kazari Sushidesigns. These involve small details like eyes and ears, butconstructionismadeeasierbyaddingtheearsaftertherollhasbeenassembled,asinthePandaRollsonthispage.TheBunnyRabbitRollson page 64 also incorporate this technique. But it’s also possible toaddtheearswhenassemblingthedesign.

Panda RollsDue to the simplicity of the color scheme and their indisputablyadorableappearance,pandasarean ideal subject forKazariSushi.Asyou will see, the steps for making the eyes and the ears have beenstreamlinedandallowforuniformity.Therollfortheeyeswillbeslicedinhalfcrosswise;therollforearswillbeslicedcrosswiseinto8pieces.

MAKES4PANDAPIECES

Nori:½ half-sheet, cut lengthwise +¾ half-sheet, cut lengthwise +two ⅓ half-sheets, cut crosswise + 1 ⅓ half-sheets, “glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakeanextendedsheet2tablespoons

finelymincedbettarazukewhitepickleddaikon1teaspoontoastedwhitesesameseeds

2teaspoonsgroundblacksesameseeds

Pinchyukaridriedshisopowder

Two¾x4-in(2x10.5-cm)stripsKanpyoSimmeredGourd(seepage10)

8roundslicespickledburdockroot(fortheeyes)

TIPSPosition theelliptical rolls foreacheyeatanangleso they look like twodownward-facingwings.•Whenyoucuttherolllengthwisetomakethemouth,be sure not to cut all theway through the nori. •When shaping the final roll,makethetopoftheheadrounded,butflattenthechinarea.

NoriPieces

1 Combine1cup (200g)of thesushi ricewith themincedbettarazukeand thewhite sesame seed. Gently mix to incorporate, then divide into the followingportions:5teaspoons;½cup(100g);1tablespoonx4;and3½tablespoons.

2 Combinetheremaining½cup(100g)ofsushiricewiththeblacksesameseedandshisopowder.Divideintoa3-tablespoonportionanda5-tablespoonportion.

3 Maketheears.Placethe long½half-sheetofnorion thesushimatwith thelong edges parallel to the slat. Arrange the 3-tablespoon portion of blacksesame-seedricealongthecenterof thenoriandmakearoundthinroll.Sliceinto8pieces.

4 Maketheeyes.Placethe long¾half-sheetofnorionthesushimatwiththelong edges parallel to the slat. Arrange the remaining 5 tablespoons of blacksesame-seedricealongthecenterofthenoriandformintoanellipticalroll.Sliceinhalfcrosswisetomake2shorterrolls.

5 Makethemouth.Lay⅓half-sheetofnorionthesushimatwiththelongedgesparallel to theslats.Arrangea5-teaspoonportionofwhitebettarazuke riceonthenoriandmakearoundroll.Beingcarefulnot tocutall thewaythroughthenoriatthebottom,slicetherollinhalflengthwise.Openuptheroll.

6 Makethenose.Laytheremaining⅓half-sheetofnorionthesushimatwiththelongedgesparalleltotheslats.ArrangetheKanpyoSimmeredGourdonthenori,close to the frontof the longedge.Roll intoa thincylinder,startingat thefrontedge.

7 Assembletheface.Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Spreadthe½-cup(100-g)portionofwhitebettarazukericeacrossthenori,leavinga1½-inch(4-cm)spaceoneitherside.Formthericesothatitisslightlyhigheratthecenter,asshowninthephoto.

8 Shapea1-tablespoonportionofthebettarazukericeintoalowmountainandsetitonthecenterofthericebed.Placeoneoftheellipticaleyerollsfromstep4oneithersideofthismountain,anglingeachoneoutwardandupward.

9 Fillthespacebetweentheeyeswithanother1-tablespoonportionofthewhiterice.Placethenori-wrappedkanpyo“nose”inthecenter.

10 Fill in the space on either side of the nose with 1-tablespoon portions ofbettarazukerice.Gentlysmooththesurfacesoitisflatandeven,thenplacethe“mouth”fromstep5face-downontop.

11 Formtheremaining3½tablespoonsofbettarazukericeintoanevenroundedmoundoverthemouth.

12 Liftthesushimatandtightenfromboththeleftandrightsides.Sealthenoriandwraptightly.Lookingattherollsothedesignisvisiblefromtheside,adjustthe overall shape into an oval. Remove the sushimat and place the roll face-downonacuttingboard.Coverwiththematagainandshapesothetopof theheadisroundedandthechinareaisflat.Removethesushimat.

13 Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertoslicetherollinto4pieces,wiping thebladecleaneach time.Decoratebyadding twoears fromstep3 toeachsliceandplacingasliceofpickledburdockoneacheye.

Bunny Rabbit RollsThefaceandearsofthisadorablebunnyareconstructedseparately;the

longearsarefilledwithmentaikospicedpollockroe,andtheblushingcheeksaretintedwithpinkobororice.

MAKES4BUNNYRABBITPIECES

1⅓cups(275g)preparedsushirice,dividedNori: two⅔ half-sheets + three⅓ half-sheets +¼half-sheet + 1¼half-sheets, “glued” together with a bit of rice to make anextendedsheet+8smallcircles(fortheeyes)

1tablespoonfinelymincedbettarazukewhitepickleddaikon1teaspoonpinkoborofishflakes1teaspoonmentaikospicedpollockroeTwo4-in(10.5-cm)cylinderscheesekamaboko4-in(10.5-cm)lengthpickledburdockroot

TIPSRoll theears intoanelongatedcommashape.Experimentwithattachingthemstraightuporaskewandcurvingthemindifferentwaystoaddcharacter.•Whenformingthefaceroll,spreadthesushiriceontheelongatednorisheetsothat itslopesupward to thecenter; thiswillshift the facial features toward thechin, which looks cuter. •Don’t make the “cheeks” too large, and be sure toplacethematthesameleveloneithersideofthenose.

NoriPieces

1 Set aside two¼-cup (50-g) portions of plain sushi rice. In a separate bowl,combine⅔ cup sushi ricewith thebettarazuke and gentlymix to incorporate.Divide into the following portions: 5 teaspoons; 4 tablespoons; 1 tablespoon; 2teaspoonsx2;and2⅔ tablespoons. Inanotherbowl,combine the remaining2tablespoons of sushi ricewith the oboro flakes and gentlymix to incorporate.Divideintotwoequalportions.

2 Make theears.Layone⅔half-sheetofnorion thesushimatwith theshortedgeparallel to theslats.Spread¼cup (50g)ofplainsushi riceover thenori,

leaving⅜ inch(1cm)ofspaceat theback.Spreadhalfof thementaikospicedpollock roeacross themiddle inabandabout 1¼ inches (3cm)wide. Fold thesushimatoverasiftofoldthenori inhalf,thenbendtheedgeofthenoriback.Pressthefrontedgeofthesushimattoformtherollintoaraindropshape.Openthe mat, turn the roll over, then re-wrap and adjust into an elongated commashape.Repeat tomakeasecond roll.Useavery sharpknifedipped in vinegarwatertosliceeachrollinto4pieces,wipingthebladecleaneachtime.

3 Make the eyes by wrapping each cylinder of cheese kamaboko in⅓ half-sheet of nori.Make the nose bywrapping the pickled burdock root in ¼ half-sheetofnori.

4 Make the mouth. Spread the 5-teaspoon portion of white bettarazuke riceacross thecenter of the remaining⅓ half-sheet of nori and forma round roll.Flatten the roll intoanellipticalcylinder.Withoutcuttingall theway through tothebottom,slicetherollinhalflengthwiseandopenitup.

5 Assembletheface.Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Spreadthe4-tablespoonportionofbettarazukewhiterice across the nori, leaving a 2¾-inch (7-cm) space on either side. Shape thericesoitslopesgentlyupwardtowardthecenter.

6 Formamountainfromthe1-tablespoonportionofbettarazukericeandplaceitinthemiddleofthericefromstep5.Placetheeyesfromstep3oneithersideof

thismountain.Spreada2-teaspoonportionofbettarazukericeontheoutersideofeacheye.

7 Placethenori-wrappedpickledburdocknoseonthericebetweentheeyes.Fillthespaceoneithersideofthenosewiththetwoportionsofobororice,creatingasmooth,levelsurface.

8 Place themouth fromstep 4 on top, cut sidedown. Form the remaining 2⅔tablespoonsofbettarazukericeintoaroundedmoundoverthemouth.

9 Lift thesushimatandtightenfromboththe leftandrightsides.Seal thenoriandwrap tightly.Unwrap thesushimatand turn the roll rightsideup, then re-wrapandform intoaperfectcylinder.Removethesushimat.Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertoslicetherollinto4pieces,wipingthebladecleaneachtime.Attachtwooftheearsfromstep2toeachsliceanddecoratetheeyeswithcircularnoripieces.

Rolls with Japanese Kanji Characters(Moji-maki)Rolls with Japanese kanji characters are always a crowd pleaser,particularlywhennamesandcelebratorywordsare spelledout.We

will use the characters⽇ (nichi or hi, for “sun”) and本 (hon, for“origin”) as examples of how to combine thin rolls into kanji

characters. Together these two characters make the word ⽇� 本(Nihon), which means “Japan.” These rolls work better for simplecharacters.Whenmultiplecharactersconstructedseparatelyarepartofthepresentation,trytokeepthethicknessofalltherollsuniform.

Rolls with⽇, the KanjiCharacter for “Sun”Hi

Giventhatthekanjicharacter⽇requiresonlyafewstraightlines,itisrelativelyeasytoconstruct,makingitagoodstartingpoint.Sincethereare so many celebratory occasions that involve the word hi, like

Kodomo noHi (Children’s Day),⽇ is a useful character to have inyoursushi-makingarsenal.

MAKES4“SUN”KANJIPIECES

Nori: two⅔ half-sheets + three ½ half-sheets + 1½ half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakeanextendedsheet

5teaspoonspinkoborofishflakes2teaspoonsmentaikospicedpollockroe

5teaspoonsmincedbettarazukewhitepickleddaikon½teaspoontoastedwhitesesameseeds

TIPSForbestresults,spreadthericeasevenlyaspossibleandcutthepiecestothespecifiedlengthsaspreciselyasyoucan.•Keeptheanglesofthecharacterlinesinmindwhenassemblingthepieces.•Whencompletingtheroll,wrapthesushimatarounditcarefullytoavoiddistortingthekanjicharacter.

NoriPieces

1 Combine½cup (100g) of the sushi ricewith theoboro flakesandmentaikospicedpollockroe.Gentlymixtoincorporateevenly.Inaseparatebowl,combine

⅔ cup (130 g) of the sushi rice with the bettarazuke pickled daikon and thesesameseeds,andgentlymixtoincorporate.Divideintoa½-cup(100-g)portionanda3½-tablespoonportion.Dividetheremainingsushiriceintotwoequal3½-tablespoonportions.

2 Usingacuttingboardwithmeasurementsoraruler,shapethepinkobororiceintoa9½x4-inch(24x10.5-cm)rectangle.Coverthericewithplasticwrap.Cutcrosswisetomaketwopiecesthatare2⅜inches(6cm)wideandthreepiecesthatare1½inches(4cm)wide.Eachpieceshouldbe4inches(10.5cm)long.

3 Handling the pieces very carefully so that their size and shape does notchange,wrapeachpinkoboro rectangle innori.Usethetwo⅔half-sheetsforthe2⅜-inch (6-cm)pieces,and the three½half-sheets for the1½-inch (4-cm)pieces.Placethericeinthecenterofthenori,orientedsothatbothriceandnoriare4inches(10.5cm)across.Foldonesideofthenoriovertherice,thenoverlapwiththeotherside.

4 Once all pieces have been wrapped, line them up in a single layer on thecuttingboardandplacethesushimatontop.Pressdowngentlywithbothhandsto make sure all pieces are the same thickness. Let the nori settle beforeproceedingtothenextstep(thenoriwillshrinkabitandfeelslightlydamp).

Allthecomponentsofthekanjicharacter.

5 Spread3½tablespoonsofthesushiriceinanevenlayerovertwoofthe1½-inch(4-cm)widenori-wrappedpieces.Placeoneontopoftheother,thenplacetheremaining1½-inch(4-cm)widenori-wrappedpieceontop.

6 Align the stackof riceandnori pieces.Placeone 2⅜-inch (6-cm)pieceoneithersideofthestack.

7 Place theentireconstructionon thesushimatwith the longedgeparallel totheslats.Pressfirmlytoalignthesidesintoaperfectrectangle.

8 Assembletheentireroll.Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Spreadthe½-cup(100-g)portionofbettarazukericeacrossthenori,leavinga1½-inch(4-cm)spaceoneitherside.

9 Placetheassembledcharacterinthecenteroftherice,handlingcarefullytoprevent the shape from becoming distorted. Lift the sushi mat and press frombothsides.

10 Spread the remaining 3½ tablespoons of bettarazuke rice on top of thecharacter in an even layer. Seal the nori andwrap themat tightly around theconstruction.

11 Unwrapthesushimatandturntherollover.Re-wrap in thematandadjusttheshapeintoasquare,viewingtherollfromthesideasyouwork,thenremovethemat.Use a very sharp knife dipped in vinegarwater to slice the roll into 4pieces,wipingthebladecleaneachtime.

ExampleofasushiarrangementfeaturingdifferentKazariSushirolls

This sushi display features rolls with auspicious symbols like chrysanthemum

flowers and pine trees, as well as the characters that form⽇本 (Nihon, orJapan). Depending on the rolls selected, this arraywould be appropriate for avariety of celebratory occasions. Pieces of nigiri sushi or other kinds of rollscouldalsobeincluded.

Rolls with本, the KanjiCharacter for “Origin”Hon

Thisrollinvolvesalittlemorethanstackingandsticking,andyouwillpractice inserting elements into incisions during the construction

process.Thekanjicharacter“本” ismadeupofstraight lines,butthedistinctive and subtle variations in line lengths require extremelyprecisemeasuringandcutting.

MAKES4“ORIGIN”KANJIPIECES

1⅔cups(325g)preparedsushirice,dividedNori: two⅔ half-sheets + two ½ half-sheets +⅓ half-sheet + 1½half-sheets, “glued” together with a bit of rice to make anextendedsheet

2teaspoonspinkoborofishflakes/s1teaspoonmentaikospicedpollockroe1tablespoonmincedbettarazukewhitepickleddaikon½teaspoonroastedwhitesesameseeds

TIPS:Besuretostabilizeallthepartsasyoustandthemup.•Asyouwrapthesushimataroundtheroll,besureitissymmetrical,anduseequalpressureonallsides. • Keep an eye on the design, adjusting as necessary to keep the kanjiundistortedinthecenter.

NoriPieces

1 Combine7tablespoonsofthesushiricewiththeoboroflakesandthementaikospicedpollockroe.Gentlymixtodistributeevenly.Inaseparatebowl,combine½

cupplus2tablespoons(125g)ofthesushiricewiththemincedbettarazukeandtoastedwhitesesameseedsandgentlymixtodistributeevenly.Divideintoa½-cup(100-g)portionanda2²⁄³-tablespoonportion.Dividetheremainingplainsushiriceintothefollowingportions:2²⁄³tablespoons;1tablespoonx2;2teaspoonsx2;and5teaspoonsx2.

2 Usingacuttingboardwithmeasurements,ormeasuringcarefullywitharuler,shapetheoboropinkriceintoan8x4-inch(20x10.5-cm)rectangle.Coverricewith plasticwith plasticwrap and slice crosswise into pieces of the followingwidths(eachpieceshouldbe4inches/10.5cmlong):2⅜inches(6cm),2inches(5cm),1⅜inches(3.5cm),1⅜inches(3.5cm),¾inch(2cm).

3 Beingcarefulnot toalter theshape, remove the2⅜-inch (6-cm)piece fromtheboardandwrapina⅔half-sheetofnori.Wrapthe2-inch(5-cm)pieceintheother⅔half-sheetofnori.Wrapthetwo1⅜-inch(3.5-cm)piecesinthe½half-sheetsofnori.Finally,wrapthe¾-inch(2-cm)pieceinthe⅓half-sheetofnori.

4 Once all pieces arewrapped, arrange them in a single layer on the cuttingboardandplace the sushimat on top. Press gentlywith both hands to ensure

thatallpiecesare thesame thickness. Let thenori settlebeforeproceeding tothenextstep–itwillshrinkslightlyandfeelslightlydamp).

Allthecomponentsofthekanjicharacter.

5 Spread 2⅔ tablespoons of plain sushi rice in an even layer on top of thewrapped2-inch(5-cm)piece.Flipitoverandcutitdownthecenterlengthwise.Pullthepiecesapartslightlyandinsertthe2⅜-inch(6-cm)pieceintheopening.

6 On top of each nori-wrapped 1⅜-inch (3.5-cm) piece, form a 1-tablespoonportion of plain sushi rice into a long triangularmountain shape. Turn the ricesidedownandproptheassemblyatananglenexttothevertical2⅜-inch(6-cm)piece.Press the ricedown tostabilize.Repeaton theothersideof theverticalpiece.

7 Fill the space above each of the angled 1⅜-inch (3.5-cm) pieces with 2teaspoons of plain sushi rice. Even out the sides so the rice is level with thetopmostpartoftheangledpieces.

8 Cutthewrapped¾-inch(2-cm)pieceinhalflengthwise.Placeeachhalfonthericefromstep7,adjoiningtheverticalpiece.

9 Adda5-teaspoonportionof sushi riceoneachsideof thespaceabove thepiecesfromstep8.Makethesurfacesmoothandeven.Useyourhandstoshapetheassembledpiecesintoasquare.

10 Assemble theentireroll.Lay theextendednorisheeton thesushimatwiththe short ends parallel to the slats. Spread the ½-cup (100-g) portion of

bettarazukewhite rice inaneven layerover thenori, leavinga 1½-inch (4-cm)spaceoneitherside.

11 Carefullyplacethekanjicharacterfromstep9inthemiddleoftherice.Liftupthesushimatandtightenfromboththeleftandrightsides.

12 Spread the remainingbettarazuke rice in an even layer on top of the kanjicharacter,sealthenoriandwraptightly.

13 Unwrapthesushimatandturntherollover.Lookatthekanjicharacterfromthesideasyoucontinuetoadjusttheshapewiththemat,formingtherollintoaperfectsquare.Youmayalsowanttoplaceitonacuttingboardandshapeitbyplacing the sushimat on top and pressing from above. Remove the sushimat.Use a very sharp knife dipped in vinegar water to slice the roll into 4 pieces,wipingthebladecleaneachtime.

Pairwiththe⽇KanjiRollfrompage66toformtheword⽇本(Nihon),meaning“Japan.”

Rolls with Kanji Characters Made outof Kanpyo Simmered GourdForkanjicharacterswithmorecomplicatedscriptstructures,kanpyois a versatile ingredient to accommodate curves and multipleintersections.Foreachsegmentofthekanjicharacter,youwillcutthe

simmered kanpyo to the specified width and wrap it in nori. Thewrapped kanpyo pieces will then be combined to form the kanjicharacter. Incaseswherethekanjicharacter isasymmetrical,makesurethatyouareslicingfromthecorrectsideoftheroll.Cutasliveroff theendof therollat first todouble-checkthatyou’reslicingfromtherightdirection.

Rolls with祝, the KanjiCharacter for “Celebration”Iwai

ThisclassicrepresentationoffestivitiesandcongratulationsisaKazari

Sushi staple. First create the⺭ segment, then add兄. Because thecharacter will be assembled upside down, pay attention to theplacementoftheelementsasyoubuildtheroll.

MAKES4“CELEBRATION”KANJIPIECES

1²⁄5cups(280g)preparedsushirice,divided

Nori:1¼x4-in(3x10.5-cm)strip+three⅓half-sheets+¼half-sheet+three½half-sheets+1½half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetomakeanextendedsheet

1tablespoonpinkoborofishflakes

JapaneseOmelette(seepage10),cutintoa¾x1x4-in(2x2.5x10.5-cm)bar

Eight4-in(10.5-cm)longstripsKanpyoSimmeredGourd(seepage10),cuttothewidthsindicatedinthetable(opposite)

TIPSMakesuretheheightsofthetwoelementsinthecharacter(⺭and兄)areequal.•Packtherice firmly in thespacesbetweenthewrappednoripieces toavoid loose rice thatwill turn intoholeswhensliced, anduse firmpressure tostickthepiecestogetherasyouassembletheroll.•Whencompletingtheroll,goslowlyandbecarefultoavoiddistortingtheshapeoftheelementsinside.

NoriPieces

1 Combine⅔ cup (130 g) of the sushi rice with the oboro flakes and whitesesameseedsandgentlystir to integrate.Divide intoportionsof½cup (100g)and3½tablespoons.Dividetheremainingsushiriceintothefollowingportions:2⅔tablespoons;5teaspoonsx2;2teaspoons;3½tablespoons;and1tablespoonx2.

2 CuttheKanpyoSimmeredGourdintothewidthsspecifiedbelow,thenwrapinthenorisheetindicated.

Widthofkanpyostrip sizeofnorisheet

❶ 3⁄8inch(1cm) 1¼inches(3cm)

❷ ¾inch(2cm) ¹⁄³half-sheet

❸ 1inch(2.5cm) ¹⁄³half-sheet

❹ 5⁄8inch(1.5cm) ¼half-sheet

❺ ¾inch(2cm) ¹⁄³half-sheet

❻ 1¼inches(3cm) ½half-sheet

❼ 2inches(5cm) ½half-sheet

3 WrapthecutJapaneseOmeletteintheremaining½half-sheetofnori(thiswillbe❽intheinstructions).

4 Beginmakingtheleftpartofthecharacter(⺭).Shape2⅔tablespoonsoftheplainsushiriceintoa3/8x4-inch(1x10.5-cm)rectangle.Withoutcuttingallthe

waythroughtherice,makealengthwiseincisiondownthemiddle.Insert❶into

theincision.Place❷ontop.

5 Makeamountainshapeoutof5teaspoonsofsushirice.Lay❸atanangleon

thesideofthericemountain.

6 Form2teaspoonsofsushiriceintoatriangularmountainontopof❹.Withthe

rice side facingdown, press it down firmly on the left side of the constructionfromstep5sothatitadheres.

7 Form a 3½-tablespoon portion of sushi rice into a long triangle and place itupside-downontopofthestructurefromstep6.

8 Useakitchenknifetomakeanincisioninthetriangleofricefromstep7.Insert❺verticallyintotheopening.

9 Nowbeginmakingtheleft-handcomponentofthecharacter.(兄).Lineup❽,

theJapaneseOmelettepiece,ontheleftsideoftheupside-down⺭.

10 Spreada1-tablespoonportionof sushi riceon❻,makingoneside thicker

thantheoppositesidetocreateanincline.Withthethickersidefacingdownand

totheright,placethepieceverticallyontheupperrightsectionofthewrappedomelette.

11 Formtheother1-tablespoonportionofsushiriceintoa1¼x4-inch(3x10.5-cm)rectangle,and“paste”ontheupperleftsideof❻(placedinstep10).

12 Leavingalittlespacealongoneedge,spread5teaspoonsofsushiriceon❼.

Bendtheedgeupwardintoacurveandpressintotherice.

13 Attachthepiecefromstep12 to thestructure fromstep11 tocomplete thekanjicharacter.

14 Assemble theentireroll.Lay theextendednorisheeton thesushimatwiththe short edges parallel to the slats. Spread the ½-cup (100-g) portion of pink

oboro rice on the nori, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) of space on either side.Placethecompletedkanjiinthemiddle.

15 Lift the sushimat, tightening fromboth the left and right sideswhile beingsurenottodistortthekanji.Addtheremainingobororiceontopandsmoothtomakethesurfacelevel,thensealthenori.

16 Remove thesushimatandplace the finished rollonacuttingboard.Covertherollwiththematandshapeitbypressingfromabove.Removethesushimat.Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocutoffathinsliceinordertomake sure youare cutting from thecorrect sideof the roll to display the kanjicorrectly.Ifcorrect,slicetherestoftherollinto4pieces,wipingtheknifecleanaftereachcut.

Rolls with寿, the KanjiCharacter for “Long Life”Kotobuki

As a very auspicious kanji character that represents long life, 寿(kotobuki) is ideal for anniversaries, birthdays, and New Year’s

celebrations. Due to the stacked and sinuous lines, this involvedcharacterrequiresquiteafewstepstocraft.You’llstartbymatchingup

thewidthsofthekanpyopieces.Thenyou’llstackandbalancethemto

formthekanji.

MAKES4“LONGLIFE”KANJIPIECES

Nori:four½half-sheets+¾half-sheet+⅔half-sheet+¼half-sheet+ 1½ half-sheets, “glued” togetherwith a bit of rice to make anextendedsheet

1tablespoonpinkoborofishflakes4-in(10.5-cm)lengthpickledburdockroot

Six4-in(10.5-cm)longstripsKanpyoSimmeredGourd(seepage10),cuttothewidthsindicatedinthetableonpage76

TIPSThenoriwillshrinkasitabsorbsmoisture,sotrynottowrapthekanpyotootightly.•Keepallpiecesalignedandbalancedasyoustackthem,and take care not to distort the shape when you make cuts andincisions. •Firmlypack thesushi ricebetween thekanpyopiecessothere are no gaps when the finished roll is cut. • Both the kanjicharacterandthecompletedrollwillhaveanoverallsquareshape.

NoriPieces

1 Combine⅔cup(130g)ofthesushiricewiththeoboroflakesandgentlymixtoincorporate. Divide into a ½-cup (100-g) portion and a 3½-tablespoon portion.Divide the plain sushi rice into the following portions: a scant ½ cup (90 g); 5teaspoons;1tablespoonx2;2teaspoons;and2⅔tablespoons.

❶ 1¼inches(3cm) ½half-sheet

❷ 1¾inches(4.5cm) ½half-sheet

23⁄8inches(6cm) ¾half-sheet

❹ 2inches(5cm) ⅔half-sheet

2 Create the components of the kanji character. Cut the kanpyo strips to thewidthsindicatedbelowandwrapinthespecifiedsizeofnorisheet.

3 Wrapthepickledburdockrootinthe¼half-sheetofnori(thiswillbe❺inthe

followinginstructions).

4 Beginassemblingthekanjicharacter.Spreadthescant½cup(90g)ofsushirice into an 8 x 4-inch (20 x 10.5-cm) rectangle on a cutting board. Coverwithplasticwrapandcutcrosswiseinto5piecesofequalwidth(eachoneshouldbe¾inches/2cmwide).

5 Remove theplasticwrap,andplace the three1¼-inch (3-cm)piecesofnori-wrappedkanpyo (❶) and the 1¾-inch (4.5-cm) piece (❷) on four of the sliced

rice sections. Press the nori-wrapped pieces firmly onto the rice so that theyadhere.Withthenorisideonthebottom,stackthe4piecesontopofeachother,

startingwith❷.

6 Placetheremainingrectangleofriceontopofthestackedlayersfromstep5.Pressdown,andlettheshapesettle.Dipaverysharpknifeinvinegarwaterandslicethestackinhalflengthwise.Turnthestacksoversothenoriisonthetop.

7 Sandwich❸betweenthestacks.Fillthespaceontherightsideof❸with5

teaspoonsofsushirice.Leanthenori-wrappedkanpyoatanangletotheright.

8 Evenlyspread1tablespoonoftheplainsushiriceon❹,leaving¼inch(6mm)

ofspaceatthetopandbottomedges.Curlupthefrontedgeofthenoriandfliptheentirepieceover.Thenspreadanothertablespoonofsushiriceontheothersideinthesameway.

9 Makea lengthwisecutup to the second layerofnori on the left sideof theconstruction from step 7. Insert the piece from step 8 in the incision. The topedgeofthenorishouldcurltotheright.

10 Firmlypack2teaspoonsofsushiriceinthegapbetween❸and❹.Placethe

nori-wrappedpickledburdockroot(❺)ontopofthisrice.

11 Coverthetopwiththefinal2⅔tablespoonsofsushirice.Moldtheassembledpiecesintoasquareshape.

12 Assemble theentireroll.Lay theextendednorisheeton thesushimatwiththe short edges parallel to the slats. Spread the ½-cup (100-g) portion of pink

obororiceoverthenori,leavinga1½-inch(4-cm)spaceoneitherside.Sprinklethe toastedwhite sesameseedsover the riceandplace thekanji character inthemiddle.

13 Lift thesushimatand tighten fromboth the leftand rightsides.Spread theremaining3½tablespoonsofobororiceontop,creatingalevelsurface.Sealthenori.

14 Remove the sushimat andplace the roll onacuttingboard.Cover the rollwiththesushimatandshapeintoasquarebypressingfromabove.Removethesushimat.Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocutoffathinsliceinordertomakesureyouarecuttingfromthecorrectsideoftherolltodisplaythekanjicorrectly.Ifcorrect,slicetherestoftherollinto4pieces,wipingtheknifecleanaftereachcut.

Rolls with福, the KanjiCharacter for “Good Fortune”Fuku

Aswhenmakingtherolls featuring祝 (page72),youwill firstcreate

theleft-handelement⺭ontheleftside,thenaddtheremainderofthedesignontherightside.Thisrecipeuses JapaneseOmeletteandpink

obororiceintheright-handsideofthekanjicharacter,butyoushouldfeelfreetousekamabokofishcakeorotheringredientsinstead.

MAKES4“GOODFORTUNE”KANJIPIECES

Scant1½cups(290g)preparedsushirice,divided

Nori:1x4-in(2.5x10.5-cm)strip+1¼x4-in(3x10.5-cm)strip+¾x-4-in (2 x 10.5-cm) strip + five⅓ half-sheets + ¼ half-sheet + 1½half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetoformanextended

sheet1tablespoonpinkoborofishflakes

½teaspoontoastedsesameseeds

¾x1x4-in(2x2.5x10.5cm)barJapaneseOmelette(seepage10)

Six 4-in (10.5-cm) long strips of Kanpyo SimmeredGourd (see page10),cuttothewidthsindicatedinthetable(opposite)

TIPSBesurethetwocomponentsofthekanjicharacterareequalinheight,anddon’t leavetoomuchspacebetweenthem•Thecomponentsontheright-handsideof thecharactershould lineupon topofeachother.•As inallkanji rolls,wrapthefinallayerofnoricarefullytoavoiddistortingtheshapeofthecharacterinside.

noriPieces

1 Combine 4⁄5 cup (160 g) of the sushi rice with the oboro flakes and whitesesameseedsandgentlymixtoincorporate.Divideintothefollowingportions:5teaspoons;½cup(100g);and3½tablespoons.Dividetheremaining²⁄³cup(130g)of sushi rice into the following portions: 2⅔ tablespoons; 5 teaspoons; 2teaspoons;3½tablespoons;1tablespoon;and2teaspoons.

2 Spread the5-teaspoonportionofpinkoboro rice intoa1-inch (2.5-cm)widerectangleona⅓half-sheetofnori.Rollintoarectangularshape(thiswillbe❼intheinstructionsonpage79).

3 Slicetheomeletteinhalflengthwisealongthewiderside.Sandwichthe1-inch(2.5-cm) strip of nori between the two halves. Then cut the omelette in halflengthwisealong theother side, and sandwich the¾-inch (2-cm) pieceof noribetween those halves to make a cross shape inside the omelette. Wrap theassembledomeletteina⅓half-sheetofnori.

4 Cut thekanpyostrips to thewidthsspecified in the tablebelow,andwrap innorisheetsasindicated.

❶ 3⁄8inch(1cm) 1¼inches(3cm)

❷ ¾inch(2cm) ¹⁄³half-sheet

❸ 1inch(2.5cm) ¹⁄³half-sheet

❹ 5⁄8inch(1.5cm) ¼half-sheet

❺ ¾inch(2cm) ¹⁄³half-sheet

❻ ¾inch(2cm) ⅓half-sheet

5 Followsteps4–8onpages73–74forcreatingtheleft-handelement(⺭)for祝.

6 Spread1 tablespoonofsushiriceon❻.Placethis,with thenoriside facing

down,on the leftsideof theassembledpieces fromstep5.Place thewrapped

rectangleofobororice(❼)ontopofit.

7 Spread2teaspoonsofsushiriceontopofthewrappedobororectangle(❼),

andaddtheJapaneseOmelette(❽)ontheverytop.Besurethat❻,❼and❽arealignedvertically.

8 Assembletheentireroll.Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Spreadthe½-cup(100-g)portionofpinkoboroover the nori, leaving a 1½-inch (4-cm) space on either side. Place the kanjicharacterinthemiddle.

9 Lift the sushimat and tighten from both the left and right sides. Spread theremaining3½tablespoonsofobororiceontop,creatingalevelsurface.Sealthenori.

10 Remove the sushimat andplace the roll onacuttingboard.Cover the rollwiththesushimatandshapeintoasquarebypressingfromabove.Removethesushimat.Useaverysharpknifedippedinvinegarwatertocutoffathinsliceinordertomakesureyouarecuttingfromthecorrectsideoftherolltodisplaythekanjicorrectly.Ifcorrect,slicetherestoftherollinto4pieces,wipingtheknifecleanaftereachcut.

Novelty RollsThe silhouettes of these creative Kazari Rolls are inspired by theobjectstheyrepresent.Forexample,theSparrowRollsareshapedlikeabird.Adjustthepressureasyouassembletheentirerollinthesushimat,andviewtheshapefromthesidetoensureuniformityacrosstheroll. Be extra careful when slicing the roll to avoid distorting themeticulously crafted shapes. There’s a multitude of ideas toexperiment with, and once you’ve mastered the basics you can trycomingupwithyourownoriginaldesigns.

Sparrow RollsThischarmingrolllookslikethesideviewofaperchedbird.Thecolors

may be subdued, but the overall effect is cheerful.Usingkamabokofish cake in the belly curve makes the colors pop; furthermore, itssturdinessprovidesstabilitywhenassemblingtheentireroll.

MAKES4SPARROWPIECES

½cup(100g)preparedsushirice

Nori:⅓half-sheet+½half-sheet+¼half-sheet+1⅓half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetocreateanextendedsheet+4smallcirclesforeyes

2 teaspoons ami no tsukudani soy-simmered shrimp (or othertsukudani; see page 10) 4-in (10.5-cm) length Japanese or Englishcucumber,cutinhalflengthwise

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthtakuanpickleddaikon,shapedintoatriangularrodabout⅜in(1cm)oneachside

4pinchesgroundblacksesameseeds

TIPSUseasmoothslicingmotiontocutthekamabokoforthecurvedlowerpartofthetorso.•Theouternoriwillhaveatendencytopeelawayfromthebeakandtail,sofirmlypressorfolditagainstthesurfaceunderneath.•Whencuttingthecompletedroll,rotateittofindthemoststableposition.

NoriPieces

1 Combinethetsukudaniwiththesushiriceandgentlymixtoincorporate.

2 Trim⅝ inch (1.5cm) from thebottomof thekamaboko.Place thekamabokowith the roundedsidedownandseta verysharpknifeabout two-thirdsof thewayfromtheleftedge.Carveoutacurvedpiecetowardtheedge.Settheknifeinthesamespotandcutanothercurveintheoppositedirection,makingapeak

inthecenterofthekamaboko.

3 Coverthecarvedsectionwiththe⅓half-sheetofnori.Pressthenoriontothesurface,thenflipoverandtrimtheexcessfromtheside.

4 Makethetailandbeak.Laythecucumberface-downandinserttheknifeasiftoslice it inhalf lengthwiseacross the flatside,butangle theknifedownwardtowardthefaredgetocreatealongwedge.Wrapinthe½half-sheetofnorito

makethetail.Wrapthetakuanpickleddaikoninthe¼half-sheetofnoritomakethebeak.

5 Assemble the roll. Lay the extended sheet of nori on the sushimatwith theshort edges parallel to the slats. Place the kamaboko in the center with theconvexsidedown.Shapethetsukudaniriceintoapear-shapedlengthandsetitonthekamabokosothattheleftsideishigherthantheright.Pressandshapethericetoconformtothekamaboko.

6 Liftthesushimatandplacethetailontherightsideandthebeakontheleft.

7 Fold over the nori on the left side, securely enclosing the beak. Continuepressingthenoriontothetsukudanirice.Foldovertherightsideofthenoriandsealclosed.Whileviewing from thesideof thesushimat,shape the roll intoabirdsilhouette.Takeextracaretopressthenorionthebeakandtailfirmly.

8 Remove thesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedipped invinegarwater tosliceevenly into4pieces,wipingthebladecleanaftereachcut.Decoratewitheyes cut out from nori and sprinkle ground sesame seeds under the eyes tocomplete.

Guitar RollsSince the guitar ismade up of two symmetrical halves, only half theguitarwillbecreatedintheroll.Onceitissliced,acompleteguitarwillbe made from two slices. This means that this roll creates only twocompleted pieces instead of the usual four.Theneck, strings and thetuningpegsareaddedasdecorationattheend.

MAKES2GUITARPIECES

Nori: ¼ half-sheet + 1 half-sheet + 6 very thin strips for strings + 2short,thinstripsforthebaseoftheheadstock

1tablespoontorisoboroSimmeredGroundChicken(seepage10)Two1¼x1x2½-in(3x2.5x6.5-cm)piecesJapaneseOmelette(seepage10)

4-in(10.5-cm)cylindercheesekamaboko2 small rectangular slivers Japanese or English cucumber peel forthebridge

8tinyslicespickledburdockrootfortuningpegs

TIPSWhenusingthesushimat toadjust thehalf-guitarshape,makesure thattheleftandrightedges(thetopandbottomoftheguitarbody)areperpendicularto the surface. This will make it easier to match the two halveswhen puttingthemtogether.•Trynot tomovethebladebackandforthtoomuchasyouslicetheroll;useasmoothpushingmovementinstead.•Ifyoutryto withdraw the knife the slice will stick to the blade, so keep theslicedpieceon thebladeasyouopenup the rollandattach the leftandrightsidesoftheguitartoeachother.

NoriPieces

1 Combine the sushi rice and the tori soboro Simmered Ground Chicken andgentlymix to incorporate.Divide intoportionsof⅓cup (65g),3½tablespoons,and2teaspoons.

2 Maketheguitar“headstock”andneckfromtheJapaneseOmelette.Cuta⅛-inch(3-mm)slicethree-quartersofthewayupeachsideoftheomelette,leavingabout⅝ inch(1.5cm)fromthetoptoformtheheadstock.Trimeachsideoftheheadstockataslightangle.Repeatwiththesecondpieceofomelette.

3 Cutthecheesekamabokoinhalflengthwise.Wraponehalfinthe¼half-sheetofnori,settingtheotherhalfasideforanotheruse.

4 Assemblethebody.Laythehalf-sheetofnorionthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Placethenori-wrappedcheesekamabokohalfinthecenter.

5 Shapethe⅓-cup(60-g)portionofsobororiceintoahalf-cylinderandplaceiton the leftsideof thecheesekamaboko.Shape the3½-tablespoonportionandplace it on the right side.Arrange the 2 teaspoonsofsoboro ricebetween thetwopilesofriceandgentlypressthericeintotheshapeofahalfguitar.

6 Masha fewgrainsof riceacross the rightedgeof thenori toserveasgluewhentherolliswrapped.Liftuptheleftedgeofthesushimatandwrapitaroundthesushi rice,enclosing it innori.Repeatwith therightedgeof themat.Pressfromabovetosealtheoverlappingnoriedges.

7 Removethesushimatandplacetherollonacuttingboard.Coverthetopoftherollwith thesushimatandadjust theshapebypressing fromabove.Try tomakethesidesstraightandperpendiculartothesurfaceoftheboard.

8 Remove thesushimatanduseaverysharpknifedipped invinegarwater toslicetherollinhalfwithasinglesmoothmotion.Wipethebladecleanandslicethehalves inhalfagain,butbecarefulnot toslice through thebottom layerofnori this time. Tilt the blade sideways to gently open up the roll to form acompleteguitarbody,thencarefullyremovetheblade.Wipetheknifecleanandrepeatwiththesecondhalf-roll.

9 Attachtheneckandheadstockfromstep2toeachguitarbody,thendecoratewith the thin strips of nori for strings, cucumber peel for a bridge, andpickledburdockforthetuningpegs.

Landscape RollsTheseKazariRollsarecomposedofsushiriceinvarioushues,justlikea painting. It’s important to be as precise as possible with themeasurementsandportionsspecifieddueto thenumberofelementsintheserolls.Takeextracaretospreadthericeevenlyandeliminatespace between the elements. Prepare all the components, includingthedesignatedportionsofsushirice,beforeassembling.Forpossibleingredientsubstitutions,seepage11.

Mount Fuji RollsThemajestic landscape of snow-cappedMountFuji imparts an air ofcelebration.Tocreatethegradationsoftheskyandmountainbase,getcreativewiththesushiricecolors.Thesnowcaponthepeakisapiece

ofkamabokofishcake.

MAKES4MOUNTFUJIPIECES

1¼cups(250g)preparedsushirice,divided

Nori: ¼ half-sheet + ½ half-sheet + ¾ half-sheet + 1½ half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetocreateanextendedhalf-sheet

2 teaspoonsmentaiko spiced pollock roe, plus a small amount forsprinkling

1tablespoongreentobikoflying-fishroe1teaspoonaonorilaverflakes2teaspoonsmincednozawanapickledmustardgreens,squeezeddry1teaspoonpinkoborofishflakes2teaspoonsorangetobikoflying-fishroe

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthpinkfishsausage

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthkamabokofishcake

TIPS Spread the two green-tinted portions of sushi rice outward from thekamabokopeaktocreatetheappearanceofagentleslope.•Keepthemountaininthecenterasyouaddthesushiricetoeachsideandshapetheroll.•Whenwrappingthefinalroll,squeezethemattightlytoensureseamlessblendingofalltheelements.•Theoverallshapeofthecompletedrollwillbeahalf-cylinder.

NoriPieces

1 Combine⅓cup(65g)ofthesushiricewiththementaikospicedpollockroe.Gentlymixtoincorporate,thendivideintothefollowingportions:2teaspoons;5teaspoons;3½tablespoons.Inaseparatebowl,combine3½tablespoonsofthe

sushiricewiththeoboroflakes.Gentlymixtoincorporate,anddivideintotwo5-teaspoonportions.

2 Combine¼cup(50g)ofthesushiricewiththegreentobikoflying-fishroeandmixgentlytoincorporate.Inaseparatebowl,combine¼cup(50g)ofthesushi

ricewiththeaonorilaverflakesandthemincedpickledgreens,andmixgentlytoincorporate.Inyetanotherbowl,combine3½tablespoonsofthesushiricewith

theorangetobikoflying-fishroeandgentlymixtoincorporate.

3 Makethesun.Cutaboutathirdfromthesideofthefishsausage,thenwrapinthe½half-sheetofnori.

4 Make the flyingbird.Spread2 teaspoonsof thementaiko rice lengthwiseonthe¼half-sheetofnoriandmakeaverythinroundroll.Withoutcuttingthroughthebottomnorilayer,makealengthwiseincisiondownthecenteroftherollandopenitup.

5 Make themountainpeak.Cutoffeachsideof thekamaboko fishcakeatanangletoformamountain-shapedbarthatis⅝inch(1.5cm)wideatthetopand1½inches(4cm)wideatthebase.Tiltthekamabokotoonesideandcut3or4groovesintothebasetoformajaggededge.

6 Placethe¾half-sheetofnorionthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Place themountainpeak fromstep5 in thecenter, then lift thesushimatandpressthenoriagainsteithersideofthepeak.Coverthejaggededgeof

the kamaboko with green tobiko rice. Add theaonori rice on top of the tobikorice.Slopethericeoutwardtoformanupside-downmountainshape.

7 Setthemountainrice-side-downonacuttingboard,beingsurenottoletthenorifoldunderneath.Coverthemountainwiththesushimatandadjusttheshapebypressingfromabove.Trimoffexcessnorifromthesides.

8 Assembletheentireroll.Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Placethemountaininthecenter.

9 Formthe5-teaspoonportionofmentaikoriceintoacylinderandplaceitontherightsideofthemountain.Shapethe3½-tablespoonportionofmentaikoriceintoalongtriangleandplaceitagainsttherightsideofthemountainatthebottom.

10 Placethefish-sausage“sun”fromstep3onthesushiriceontherightsideofthemountain.Placethe“bird”fromstep4rice-side-downonthericeontheleftside.

11 Fillthespaceabovethesunwith5teaspoonsofpinkobororice.Dothesameinthespaceabovethebird.

12 Coverthetopofthemountainwithorangetobikoriceandformtherollintoahalf-cylinder.

13 Liftupthesushimatandtightenfromboththeleftandrightsides,sealingthenori.Removethesushimatandplacethecompletedrollonacuttingboard.Re-cover the rollwith thesushimatandadjust theshapebypressing fromabove.Removethesushimat,thenuseaverysharpknifedippedintovinegarwatertoslicetherollinto4equalpieces,wipingthebladecleanaftereachcut.

Seashore Rolls

The lighthouse by the shore, the setting sun, the flying seagulls—allenveloped in a brilliant sunset—make these landscape Kazari Rollsspectacular.Thesunsethuesarederivedfromvariousingredientsthatareblendedintosushiriceandlayeredtoachieveagradienteffect.

MAKES4SEASHOREPIECES

Nori:two⅝x4-in(1.5x10.5-cm)strips+three½half-sheets+four⅓half-sheets+1⅔half-sheets,“glued”togetherwithabitofricetocreate an extended sheet + 1¼ x 4-in (3 x 10.5-cm) strip 1

tablespoonpinkoborofishflakes1teaspoonaonorilaverflakes¼teaspoonmayonnaise

1teaspoontobikoflying-fishroe3teaspoonstarakopollockroe,dividedTwo4-in(10.5-cm)pieceskamabokofishcake4-in(10.5-cm)cylinderpinkfishsausage

1½teaspoonschoppedJapaneseOmelette(seepage10)

TIPSBlendthecoloringingredientsintothesushiricealittleatatimeuntilithasthedesired tint. •Cut thekamabokoand fishsausagecleanly,avoiding jaggededges.•Packthericebetweenthepiecesfirmly,fillingintheleftandrightsidesevenly.•Asafinalstep,wrapthesushimattightly tosecurethecontents.Thefinaloverallshapewillbesquare.

NoriPieces

1 Stir themayonnaise into⅓ cup (65 g) of the sushi rice. Sprinkle theaonorilaverflakesoverandgentlystirtoincorporate.Inaseparatebowl,combinethe

oboro flakesand7 tablespoonsof thesushi rice,mix to incorporateanddivideintothefollowingportions:1tablespoonx2;2⅔tablespoons;5teaspoonsx2.

2 Combinethetobikoflying-fishroewith4tablespoonsofthesushirice,mixtoincorporate, and divide into one 2⅔-tablespoon portion and one 5-teaspoonportion.Inaseparatebowl,combine2teaspoonsofthetarakopollockroewith⅔ cup (130g) of the sushi rice.Gentlymix to incorporate, thendivide into thefollowingportions:2teaspoonsx4;5teaspoonsx2;and4⅓tablespoons.

3 Make the lighthouse (refer to illustration for details). Cut one piece ofkamabokotoaheightof¾inch(2cm)andawidthof1¼inches(3cm).Thencutdiagonallyfromrighttoleftsothattheheightoftheleftsideis⅝ inch(1.5cm).

Wrapin½half-sheetofnori.Thisispiece❶.

4 Cut the second piece of kamaboko to a height of⅜ inch (1 cm), then cutlengthwisetomakeonebar1 inch(2.5cm)wide(this ispiece❷),andanother

bar⅝inch(1.5cm)wide(thisispiece❸).Cutthe1-inch(2.5-cm)barintothirdslengthwise, and sandwich the two⅜-inch (1-cm) strips of nori between thepieces.Wrapin½half-sheetofnori.

5 Roundout theupper leftandrightcornersofpiece❸,shaping it intoahalf-

circle.Wrapin⅓half-sheetofnori.

AllcomponentsoftheSeashoreRolls.

6 Makethesun.Cutoffabout¼ofthefishsausagelengthwise.Wrapthelargerpiecein½half-sheetofnori.

7 Maketheseagulls.Spread1tablespoonoftheobororiceon⅓half-sheetof

noriandmakearoundroll.Withoutcuttingallthewaythroughtothebottomnorilayer, cut in half lengthwise and open up. Repeat with another tablespoon of

obororiceandanother⅓half-sheetofnori.

8 Beginassemblingtheentireroll.Laytheextendednorisheetonthesushimatwiththeshortedgesparalleltotheslats.Spreadthegreenaonoririceina2-inch(5-cm)wide rectangle roughly in the center of the sheet.Make the right-handsideofthericelower,creatingagentleslope.Covertheslopewith⅓half-sheetofnori.

9 Arrange2⅔ tablespoonsof the tobiko ricealong therightsideof theslope.Coverwiththe1¼-inch(3-cm)stripofnori.Placethenori-wrappedfish-sausage“sun”ontop.

10 Construct the lighthouse.Place therounded lighthousepiece (❸)on topof

piece❷, in thecenter.Fill ineachsideofpiece❸with2 teaspoonsof tarako

rice.Spread2teaspoonsoftarakoricealongeithersideofpiece❶.

11 Placethe lighthouseonthe leftsideof thenori-coveredgreenaonorislopefromstep8.

12 Fill the spacebetween the lighthouseand the sunwith 2⅔ tablespoonsofobororice.Addoneoftheseagullsfromstep5.

13 Place 5 teaspoonsof tobiko riceon topof the sun.Sprinkle½ teaspoonoftarakopollockroeontherice.

14 Layer5teaspoonsofobororiceonthesprinkledtarako,thenadd½teaspoonofthechoppedJapaneseOmelette.

15 Placetheotherseagullontop,thencoverwithanother5teaspoonsofobororice.Add5 teaspoonsof tarako riceoneachside, thenpress the leftand rightsidestosecure.

16 Lift the sushi mat and tighten from both the left and right sides. Add ½teaspoon of chopped Japanese Omelette on each side and sprinkle the

remaining½teaspoonoftarakopollockroeinthemiddle.Spreadtheremaining4⅓tablespoonsoftarakoriceevenlyontopandflattenthesurface.

17 Sealthenori,formtherollintoasquareshapeandwraptightly.Removethesushimatandplacethecompletedrollonacuttingboard.Covertherollwiththesushimatandadjust theshapebypressingfromabove.Removethesushimat,thenuseaverysharpknifedippedintovinegarwatertoslicetherollinto4equalpieces,wipingthebladecleanaftereachcut.

CHAPTER3

Creative Sashimi, BattleshipRolls and MoreLayeredsushirollshavebeenaroundfora longtime,butinrecentyearsmoremodernandinnovativepresentationsare gaining popularity, like the quintessential CaliforniaRolls. This section will introduce this new approach tosushiwith a fresh twistwhich can be easily incorporatedintorestaurantmenusaswell.

CuttingBasics

RiceShapingBasics

SculptedNigiriSushi

•DecorativeKnifeworkwithGizzardShad•SleepingCrane•SwimmingSquid•CherryBlossom•Rabbit•ProudPeacock

ToppingVariations

BattleshipRollBasicsandVariations

SphericalSushiBasicsandVariations

Deep-FriedTofuPockets

•InariBoats

•FriedTofu-SkinRolls

ReverseRolls

•SayoriHalfbeakandShrimpReverseRolls•AutumnMapleLeafReverseRolls

Inside-OutRollBasicsandVariations

•CaliforniaRolls•RainbowRolls•ShrimpTempuraRolls•DragonRolls

PressedSushiBasicsandVariations

•ShrimpandSaltwaterEelPressedSushi•MountFujiPressedSushi

VegetableSushiVariations

ScatteredSushi

Cutting BasicsEach sushi ingredient has a cutting technique best suited for itsparticularshapeandtexture.However,nomattertheingredient,eachslice or cut must balance out the sushi rice in size and thickness.Uniformity of size is important as well; you also want to minimizewaste. The following section provides practice steps for masteringfundamentalandeffectivecuttingtechniques.

TunaTunablocksavailableingrocerystorestendtobeslightlysmallerthanprofessional-gradesushi fish.Slicethetunablocksatanangletokeepthesizesuniform.Alternatively,cutasthoughcreatinganintersectingcreasewiththegrainofthefish.

Place the tuna block at an angle. Holding the front of the tuna downwith onehand,diagonallyslicewiththekitchenknife.

Pullthebladeatanangleasyouslice;asyouneartheendofthecut,straightentheknifeandcutthrough.

White-Fleshed FishManywhite-fleshedfish—flounder,forexample—areverythinandarealsoquitetoughtochew,sotheyarebestservedinthinslices.

Place the fish at an angle. Hold downwith one hand and set the knife at thestartingpoint.Sliceverythinly.

Attheendofeachcut,straightentheknifeandslicethrough.Don’tsawwiththeknife;rather,pullthebladeinonesmoothmotion.

SquidBecausesquidcanbetoughtochew,cutthinslicesatanangleandscoreorcrosshatchthefleshtomakeiteasiertoeat.Asfreshsquidisusuallyeventoughertochew,trycuttingintomatchstickslices.

Placetheskinsidedownandsliceatanangle.Makeextracutsonthesidesand/ortop.

Gizzard ShadThe cuttingmethod for gizzard shad will depend upon its size. Thethicknessandconsistencyofasinglepieceofthistypeoffishwillvarygreatly.Decorativecuts(seepage93)makeiteasiertoeat.

Makedeepcutswherethefishisthickerandshallowcutswhereitisthinner.

Rice Shaping BasicsA properly made piece of nigiri sushi will keep its shape securelywhen held with chopsticks, but will practically melt in the mouth.Practice forming nuggets of rice that are equal in size, shape andfirmness.Thespecificsof thepressing techniquesmaydifferamongrestaurantsandsushichefs,butfollowingaresomeuniversalmethodsandkeypoints.

Horizontal FlipYokogaeshi

1 Beforeyoumakethericeball,dampenyourhandswithamixtureofwaterandrice vinegar (20–30 percent vinegar). Place the vinegar water in a small bowlnearby.

2 Scoopoutenoughriceforonenigirinugget(ifyouareright-handed,useyourrighthand;leftforlefties)andlightlyformintoaball.

3 Withyourotherhand,pickupthetopping(usuallyfish).Addasmearofwasabionthetoppingwiththeindexfingerofthehandholdingthericeball.

4 Placethericeballonthetopping,sandwichingthewasabi.

5 Withthethumbofthehandonthebottom,pressthecenterofthericeballtoformasmalldepression.Withtheoppositehand,pressthetopandbottomedgesofthesushiballandshapeitintoaniceoval.Wrapthebottomhandaroundthesushi while pressing the rice ball with the index and right finger pads of theoppositehand.

6 Flipoverthesushihorizontallysothetoppingisrightsideup.

7 Usethethumbandindexfingerofthehandnotholdingthesushitopresstheleft and right sides. Then hold the top of the sushi with the index and middlefingerpadsandpresswiththebottomhand.

8 Rotatethesushi180°.

9 Repeatstep7.

10 Complete.

Original Hand FlipHontegaeshi

1 Followsteps1–4oftheHorizontalFlip(seepage91).

2 With the thumbof thehandon thebottom,press thecenterof the riceball,forming a small depression.With the opposite hand, press the top and bottomedges of the sushi ball and shape it into a nice oval. Wrap the bottom handaroundthesushiwhilepressingthericeballwiththeindexandrightfingerpadsoftheoppositehand.

3 Usethehandholdingthesushitorollthesushisothetoppingisrightsideup.Placethesushiontheindexandmiddlefingersoftheoppositehand.

4 Transferthesushibacktotheoriginalhandthatheldthesushibyfirstcoveringthesushiwiththehandandthenflippingitwiththericesidefacingup.

5 Presstheindexfingerandmiddlefingeroftheotherhandontothesushiandgentlyrollitsothetoppingisfacingup.

6 Withthethumbofthehandholdingthesushi,pressdownonthetopping,thenuse the thumband index fingerof theother hand to squeeze the left and rightsidesofthesushitoadjusttheshape.

7 Rotatethesushi180°.

8 Repeatstep6.

9 Complete.

KeyPointsforFormingNigiriSushi

●Preparethetoppingingredients,sushirice,wasabi,etc.,inadvance.

●Always keep thewater and vinegarmixture, cloth and kitchen knives in thesameplacewithineasyreach.

●Maintaingoodpostureandformthesushirapidlywithflowingmovements.

●Liftupthetoppingscarefullyandlightlyandavoidprolongedcontact.

Sculpted Nigiri SushiBecausenirigisushimaycomeacrossastoovisuallysimple,addingalittle bit of sculpting and a few decorative elements enhances theoverall aesthetic appeal. The following section presents some quickandeasy techniques thatdon’t requireanyspecialsupplies.Youwillbeabletopracticevariousknifeworkanddistinctivecombinationsofingredients, as well as techniques for shaping the rice nugget intodifferent shapes, such as triangles, which expands the range ofcreativeexpression.

Decorative Knifework withGizzard ShadYokogaeshiA traditional sushi variety that predates the Edo period, kohadagizzardshadisconsideredatestofasushichef’sskillandmettle.Everysushi restaurant tends to have their own method of preparing andslicingit,andthemereangleinwhichtheknifeisinsertedcanmakeadifferenceintheenjoymentofthesushi.Herewewillshowyouseveral

classicstylesofthefutatsukiriknifeworkusedtocutthefilletedhalf

ofthefishwhenitissmallenoughtoplaceonasinglenuggetofrice.

Cut the tail in two and remove the dorsal fin to prepare.Make a rather deephorizontalcutinthemiddleofthethickestpartofthefillet.Finishbywideningthecut.

Inserttheknifediagonallyandmakeafairlydeepcut.Makeanotherdiagonalcutin theoppositedirection to intersect the first one.Keep the lengthsof the twocutsequal.

Make several diagonal parallel lines that are⅛ inch or less (2–3 mm) apart.

Make the cuts deeper in the thicker parts of the fillet, and shallower in thethinnerparts.

Createacrosshatchpatternontheentirepiece.Thedistancebetweenthelinesshouldbeequal,butkeepinmindthatthedesignwillnotbeasattractiveif thelinesaretooclosetogether.

Leaving3⁄16inch(5mm)ontheheadside,slicethefilletinto3equalsectionsandbraid.

Sculpting SquidWithitswhitesimplicity,squidisabreezetoworkwith.Thissectioncoversa rangeofmethods fromquickandeasy toelaborately crafted.Squid isoneof themorepopular typesofnigiri sushi already;up the

wowfactorbyaddingsomedecorativeknifework.

Sleeping Crane

1 Cutthesquidintoa1½x31⁄8-inch(4x8-cm)rectangle.Trimthefourcorners.

2 Slicethelongersideintoagentlearc.

3 On theopposite sideof thearc,makeacutabout 3⁄16 inch (5mm) from theedge;thiswillbetheneck.Wheretheedgeiswider,makeseveralnarrowcutstorepresentthetail.Thesewillmakethenigirieasiertoeat.

4 Form 1 tablespoonof sushi rice into a bullet or nugget shapeandplace thesquidfromstep3ontop.Coverwithacleanlint-freeclothandpressdownfromabovesothesquidconformstotheshapeoftherice.

5 Curvetheinnerpartoftheneckacrossthebody.

6 Cutoutacrestfromtuna,abeakfromapieceofcucumberpeel,andeyesfromnori.Placethemonthesquidwithtweezersorbambooskewers.

Swimming Squid

1 Cutthesquidintoa2x31⁄8-inch(5x8-cm)rectangleandplacehorizontally.Sliceofftheleftandrightsidesdiagonallytoformatriangle,reservingtheslices.

2 Makethe“legs”bycutting¹⁄16-inch(2-mm)longslitsalongthebottomedge.

3 Cutoutasmalltriangleforthefinsonthetopofthehead.Cutacrosshatcheddesignintothesurfaceofthe“fins.”

4 Form1tablespoonofsushiriceintoalongtriangle.

5 Placethetriangleofriceontopofthesquid.Coverwithacleanlint-freeclothandpressfromabovesothesquidconformstotheshapeoftherice.

6 Place the fins on top of the head and separate the legswith a toothpick orbambooskewer.Usetwoglobesofikurasalmonroefortheeyes.

Cherry Blossom

1 Cut the squid into a 2⅜ x 3 1⁄8-inch (6 x 8-cm) rectangle.Make a shallowlengthwiseincisiondownthemiddle(donotcutinhalf).

2 Flip the squid rectangle over and slice off about 3⁄16 inch (5mm) diagonallyfromthelongsidessothattheedgesareangled.

3 Spread1teaspoonofoboroflakesinthecenterofthesquid.Flattentheflakesagainstthesquidwiththebackofaspoon.

4 Cutthinstripofnori(about3⁄16x31⁄8inches/5mmx8cm)andplaceitalongoneedgeofthesquid.

5 Foldthesquidrectangleinhalflengthwise.

6 Form1tablespoonofsushiriceintoaball.

7 Slice the folded squid rectangle crosswise into 5 equal pieces tomake theflowerpetals.

8 Arrange the petals on top of the ball of rice with the nori end in and thenotchededgeout.

Rabbit

1 Cutapieceofsquidintoa1¼x31⁄8-inch(3x8-cm)rectangle.Slicetheshortsidesatananglesothattheyslantoutward.

2 Carveashallowtroughabout¾inch(2cm)wideinthecenteroftherectangle.

3 Cuttunaintoathinwedgeabout½x1¼inches(1x3cm).Placethetunaontheedgeofthesquidwiththethickerendinthetrough.Foldthesquidoverthetuna.

4 Sliceintolongraindrop-shapedslicesfortherabbitears.

5 Cutanotherpieceofsquidintoa1½x31⁄8-inch(4x8-cm)rectangle.Trimthecornerstoformanellipticalshape.

6 Makeshallowcrosshatchedcutsacross thewhole topsurfaceof thesquid.Scoretheundersidewithaseriesofcloselyspacedhorizontalcuts.

7 Form 1 tablespoonof sushi rice into a bullet or nugget shapeandplace theellipseofsquidontop.

8 Coverwithacleanlint-freeclothandpressfromabovesothesquidconformstotheshapeoftherice.

9 Decoratewithtwooftheearslices(step4)and2globesof ikuracodroeforeyes.

Proud Peacock

1 Cutapieceofsquidintoa2⅜x31⁄8-inch(6x8-cm)rectangle.Sliceoffthelongedgesatanangle.

2 Makeanarrowgrooveinthecenterofthesquid.

3 Breakupalittletarakosaltedpollackroeandplaceitinthegroove.Cuta31⁄8-inch (8-cm) piece of cucumber into a thinwedge and place it next to the

tarako.

4 Cutathin(3⁄16x31⁄8-inch/5mmx8-cm)stripofnoriand lay italongoneedgeofthesquidrectangle.

5 Foldthesquidinhalfandsliceevenlyinto8raindrop-shapedpiecestomakethetailfeathers.

6 Shape3½tablespoonsofsushiriceintoasemicircle.

7 Arrangethetailfeathersontopofthebedofrice.

8 Cover with a clean lint-free cloth and press from above so the squidconformstotheshapeoftherice.

9 Cutanotherpieceofsquidintoa31⁄8-inch(8-cm)longtaperedstrip.Arrangeat the base of the tail feathers. Curve the pointed end to form the neck andhead.

10 Fillthespaceinthefrontwithateaspoonofikurasalmonroe.

11 Cutathickstripofcucumberpeelintoasmallsquare.Makeaseriesoffinecutsalmosttoitsedge.

12 Spread the cuts from step 11 apart to form a crest. Cut a thin piece ofcucumberpeelforthebeak.Cutsmallpiecesofnorifortheeye.Usetweezersoraskewertoplacetheitemsonthehead.

Topping VariationsGet creative with your Kazari Sushi toppings by incorporatingcondiments and using small decorative rolls for embellishment.Experiment with the way colors and flavors work together, and youmaycomeupwithanewsignatureoffering.

ScallopswithLemon

Wrapanorisasharoundascallopnigiri,thenmakealengthwiseincisioninthescallopandinsertathinsliceoflemon.Thecitrustangofthelemonwillenhancethescallop’sflavor.Thelemonslicemayberemovedbeforeeating.

TunawithGreenOnionShoots

Place green onion shoots and benitade red water-pepper sprouts on top of atunanigiri. The fragrantandpepperycondiments lighten the rich tasteof tuna.Thisisalsodeliciouswithmarinatedtuna.

OmelettewithIkuraSalmonRoe

PrepareathicksliceofJapaneseOmelette(seepage10)andmakealengthwise

incision in thecenter.Stuff theopeningwithsushi riceand topwithoboroandikura.Thesimpleadditionofikuraaddsabundantflavorandeye-catchingappeal.

White-FleshedFishandMyogaGingerBud

Thisnigirimadewithwhite-fleshedfish(flounderisshownhere;soleorhalibutis

also suitable) is toppedwith a sliveredmyoga ginger bud andwrappedwith aslimbandofgreenshiso.Theflavorscomplementeachotherandthecondimentspunchup thepresentation.A splashof ponzucitrus saucebrightens the taste,making it perfect as a summer dish.A dab of grated fresh ginger rootmay be

usedinplaceofthemyoga.

SweetShrimpandUniSeaUrchinRoe

Thecombinationofamaebisweetshrimpwithunistrengthensbothflavorsinthisluxurious nigiri. Instead of letting the shrimp’s tail hang down, curve it into adecorativeshape.

SquidandSalmon

A thin slice of salmon is transformed into a miniature rose—complete with

kinomepricklyashleaves(substituteasmallfreshbasilleafifnecessary)—thatrestsatopasquidnigiri.Thisdelicatesculptureissuretopleaseeveryone.Sinceyouneedonlyasmallamountofsalmon,itisalsoaverycost-effectivedesign.

UsingNoriandGreenShiso

ⒷWrap a 3⁄8-inch (1-cm)wide nori strip around a piece of squid nigiri. Pressafterwardstoadjusttheshape.

ⒺPlacea stripofgreenshisocut tomatchingsizeon topofa sliceofwhite-fleshedfish.Thenaddthesushiriceandformintoanigiri.

White-fleshed fish and squid provide an ideal blank canvas for Kazari Sushi.Merelywrappingorsandwichingpiecesofnoriorgreenshisointhenigiriturnsthemintostrikingshowpieces.

Crosstwothinstripsofgreenshisotoforman“x”onasquidnigiri

Wrapa⅜-inch(1-cm)widestripofnoriaroundasquidnigiri.

Cutapieceofgreenshisotomatchthewidthofasquidnigiriandplaceontop.Wrapa“sash”ofnoriaroundthewholething.

Wrap⅜-inch(1-cm)widepiecesofgreenshisoandnoriaroundanigirimadewithwhite-fleshedfish.

Sandwichapieceofgreenshisobetweenthewhite-fleshedfishandthesushiricebeneathit.

Wrapa¾-inch(2-cm)widepieceofgreenshisodiagonallyontopofanigirimadewithwhite-fleshedfish.

Form the sushi into a ball. Topwith a rosemade from tuna, salmon or white-fleshedfish.Sliceeachportionof fish into four thinpiecesand line themallupintoone long strip.Roll up the strip tocreate the flower shape. Layapieceofgreenshisoontherice,thenaddtherose.Finishwitha⅜-inch(1-cm)squareofJapaneseOmelettefortheflowercenter.

Shape the sushi rice into a ball, then press down from the top and bottom to

flattenit.Makeaslightlydeeperindentationinthecenterofthericeball;thiswillhelpstabilizetheflower.

Slightlyoverlaptheslicedpiecesintoalongstripandstartrollingfromtheedge.Keep one edge loose and the other edge tight as you roll to create an openblossom.It’seasiertorollifyoukeepthetightlywoundedgeonthebottom.

Carnations

Thebitsofcucumberpeelthatformthestemsandleavesareproducedusinga

techniquecalledkatsuramuki,inwhichapaper-thinlayeriscutfromacylindricalvegetablesuchasdaikonorcucumber.Ifyouareunfamiliarwiththistechnique,

useapeeler.Tobiko flying-fish roe,oboro flakesand ikura salmon roebecomecheery carnations, each one topping a squid nigiri. This would be a delightfulMother’sDaypresentation.

Bambooskewersarehelpfulwhendecoratingwithsmallpieces.

Battleship Rolls (Gunkan-maki)Battleshiprollstypicallycontain ikurasalmonroe,uniseaurchinroe,or kobashira surf clam. However, you can expand your options byswitchingoutthefilling,usingalternatewrappingsinplaceofnoriorbyformingthesushiriceintoadifferentshape.Regardlessofshapeoringredient,useafirmtouchwhenshapingthesushiricebase,sinceastablefoundationisessential.

Battleship Roll BasicsIt’s important to form the sushi rice into a smooth shapebecause thenoriwrappingwillshowanyprotrusionsorunevensections.Thesushirice also needs to provide a sturdy foundation for the toppingingredients.Thenoriwrapwillriseabout3⁄16inch(5mm)abovethetopofthesushiricetocontainthetopping.

IkuraSalmonRoeBattleshipRoll

1 Formaboutatablespoonofsushiriceintoabulletornuggetshape.

2 Wrapastripofnoriabout1¼inches(3cm)widearoundtheoutsideofthericelikeawall.

3 Useafewgrainsofricetosecuretheendofthenori.

4 Spooninthesalmonroe.

Battleship Roll VariationsCreatefreshlooksbychangingtheshapeofthesushi-ricebase.It’snothard to form even complicated numbers and letters out of sushi rice.For differentwrapping options, try JapaneseCrêpe (page 33) or thinstrips of cucumber or other vegetables (a peeler ormandolinewill beveryhelpfulforthis)—greatoptionsforfolkswhomaynotenjoynori.

RoundBattleshipRoll

1 Formatablespoonofsushiriceintoaflattenedcircleabout1½inches(4cm)indiameter.

2 Wrapa1¼-inch(3-cm)widestripofnoriaroundtheoutsideofthericelikea

wall.Securetheendsofthenoriwithafewgrainsofrice.Fillwithikurasalmonroe.

BattleshipRollWrappedinJapaneseCrêpe

1 Form1tablespoonsushirice intoastandardnigiribullet.Wrapa1¼-inch(3-cm)widepieceofJapaneseCrêpe(page33)aroundtherice.

2 Tieastemofblanchedmitsubatrefoilorparsleyaroundthecrêpeandfillthecavitywithtobikoflying-fishroe.

BattleshipNumbers

1 Combineabout⅓cup(65g)preparedsushiricewith2tablespoonsofoboroflakes.Formthericeintonumbersabout⅝inch(1.5cm)high.

2 Cutseveral¾-inch(2-cm)widestripsofnori(ifyouwillnotaddfillings,cutthenorito⅝inch/1.5cmwidth).Useafewgrainsofriceto“glue”thenoripiecestogethertoextendthemasneeded.

3 Wrapthenoristripsaroundthesushiricenumbers.Useabambooskewerorsimilartoolfordetailworkandtopressthenoriintightcorners.Securenoriendswithafewricegrains.

4 Dependingonyourcolorpreference, fillwith ikura salmon roe, tobiko flying-fishroeorotheringredients.

DaikonBattleshipRoll

1 Cutadaikonradishlengthwiseandpeelorthinlysliceastripfromtheflatinnersurface.Soak in saltedwater for about 20minutes, thenmarinate in seasonedvinegar(seepage9).Meanwhile,form1tablespoonofsushiriceintoabulletornuggetshapefornigiri.Patthedaikondryandwrapitaroundtheoutsideoftherice.

2 Fill with chopped tuna. Apply chervil leaves onto the daikon wrap fordecoration.

CucumberBattleshipRoll

1 CutaJapaneseorEnglishcucumberinhalflengthwiseandpeelorthinlysliceastripfromtheinnersurface.Soakthestripinsaltedwaterforabout10minutes.Meanwhile, form 1 tablespoon of sushi rice into a flattened circle. Pat thecucumberdryandwrapitaroundtheoutsideoftherice.

2 Fillthespacewithchoppedsalmon.

Spherical Sushi (Temari-zushi)Thedistinctivefeatureofthesedelightfulrolls istheirball-likeshape.Wrap the thinlysliced ingredientsuniformlyaround thesushi rice. Incaseswheretheingredientisnaturallybumpyoruneven,shaveorcutoffthebumpypartsontheundersidetoevenoutthethickness.Itwillbe easier to blend the elements if you trim the four corners of eachlayeringpiece.

Spherical Sushi BasicsSphericalsushiisastapleoftheKazariSushirepertoire.It’sarelativelyeasy style of sushi tomake, because the sushi is formed bywrappingplasticwraparounditorcoveringitwithaclothandpressingitintoaball.Meldthesushiricewiththetoppingwhenshapingtheassembledingredients.Ifmultiplesphereswillbepresentedatthesametime,trytomakethemequalinsize.

ShrimpSphericalSushi

1 liceopenthebellyofacookedshrimpandspreaditouttobutterfly.Cutinhalfcrosswise and slice into a 1½-inch (4-cm) square. Shave the underside of thethickerpartstomakethepieceuniforminthickness.Trimoffthecorners.

2 Formageneroustablespoonofsushiriceintoaball.

3 Place theshrimpwith theredside facingdownonasquareofplasticwrap.Placethericeballontop.

4 Wraptheplasticaroundtheassembledpiecesandpresstightlytoformintoasphere.

Spherical Sushi VariationsTrycombiningunexpectedingredients,addingcolorwithoboroflakesand/or other materials. The variations are limited only by yourimagination.Makinga flower frommultiplespheres isanotheroptionforasimpleyetvibrantandfunarrangement.

GizzardShadandMentaikoSpicedPollockRoeSphericalSushi

Slice a fillet of gizzard shad diagonally into thin strips and arrange in a radialpatternontheplasticwrapwithskinsidedown.Formageneroustablespoonofsushiriceintoaballandplaceitontopofthefish.Wraptheplasticaroundthesushiandpresstoformintoasphere,thenunwrap.Breakupasmallamountof

mentaikoandarrangeitinamoundontop.

ShrimpandEelSphericalSushi

Make the basic shrimp sphere as described at left. Add a fewkaiware daikonsprouts and place a small square piece of eel on top. Drizzle a little of anycomplementary condiment, such as eel sauce or plum sauce, to pump up theflavorandenhancethecolor.

SquidandSeaUrchinSphericalSushi

Cutapieceofsquidintoathin1½-inch(4-cm)squareandtrimthecorners.Layface-downonapieceofplastic.Formageneroustablespoonofsushiriceintoaballandplaceitontopoftheshrimp.Wrapwiththeplasticandpresstomakeasphere,thenunwrap.PlaceasmallpieceofseaurchinontopandtuckaleafofItalianparsleyintotheside.

WhiteFishandTobikoSphericalSushi

Cutapieceofwhite-fleshedfishsuchasflounderorhalibutintoaverythin1½-inch (4-cm) square and trim the corners. Slice the fish as thinly as possible toachieve the translucent effect for the colored rice to show through. Lay face-downon a pieceof plastic. Forma generous tablespoonof sushi rice blended

withredtobikointoaballandplaceitontopofthefish.Wrapinplasticandpresstomakeasphere,thenunwrap.Decoratewithamoundofgreentobiko.

EggFlowerSphericalSushi

CutapieceofJapaneseCrêpe(page33) intoa1½-inch(4-cm)squareandtrimthecorners.Layface-downonapieceofplastic.Formageneroustablespoonof

obororiceintoaballandplaceitontopoftheomelette.Wrapintheplasticandpresstomakeasphere,thenunwrap.Positiontheclosedendofthecrêpeonthebottom andwrap a⅜-inch (1-cm)wide strip of nori around the bottom of thesphere.Makeacross-shapedcutinthetop.Gentlyopenupthecutsectionand

fillwithikurasalmonroe.

TunaandScallopSphericalSushi

Cutapieceoftunaintoa1½-inch(4-cm)squareofeventhicknessandtrimthecorners. Lay face-down on a piece of plastic. Form a generous tablespoon of

greentobiko-blendedsushiriceintoaballandplaceitontopofthetuna.Wrapintheplasticandpresstomakeasphere,thenunwrap.Topwithapieceofscallop

cut into a small square and a few leaves of benitade or radish sprouts. Thecolorfulsushiriceisdelightfullyfestive.

RedandWhitePlumBlossoms

Cut5piecesoftunainto1¼-inch(3-cm)squaresofeventhicknessandtrimthecorners.Do the samewith 5piecesof squid.Make10 small sushi-riceballs (1scant tablespoon).Wrap inplastic to form5 tunaspheresand5squidspheres.Arrangethe5piecesintoaflowershapeandaddchoppedJapaneseOmeletteorpickledburdockrootinthecenters.Covertheentireflowerwithplasticwrapandpressthepiecestogether,adjustingtheshapetomakeaplumblossom.

Trimthecornersofthetunaandsquidsquaresatanangle.

Wraptheassembledpiecestightlytosecurethemtogether.

Deep-Fried Tofu Pockets (Inari-zushi)Beingconsideredahumbledish,inari-zushitendstofallintotherealmofhomecooking,butafewdecorativeelementsorinnovativeshapesmake it a worthy addition to any restaurant menu. Blend colorfulingredients into the sushi rice orwrap it differently to give it a littlemakeover. Beyond the examples shown here, experimentwith other

ideas such as cutting open theabura-age tofu pocket and folding itlikeaclotharoundingredients,orcoveringitwithricelikeaninside-outroll.Notethatthedeep-friedtofupouchesshouldbesimmeredinseasoningliquid(orboughtpre-seasoned)beforefilling.

InariBoats

1 Gentlyopenasimmeredtofupouchandfoldthetopedgesinward.

2 Lightlyform2tablespoonssushiriceintoaballandpackfirmlyintothepouch.Flattenthebottom.

3 Spreadoboroflakesoverthetopoftherice.

4 CutarectangleofJapaneseOmelette(seepage10),topwithasmallerpieceofimitationcrab,andaddawedgeofcucumberforthe“tiller.”

FriedTofu-SkinRolls

1 Trim thesidesaway froma2⅜ x 3 1⁄8-inch (6x8-cm)simmereddeep-friedtofu pouch, reserving them for filling. Open up the tofu to make a rectangularsheet.

2 Spread3½tablespoonsofsushiriceacrossthetofusheet,leaving1½inches(4cm)ofspaceatthetopedgeandanarrowspaceatthebottomedge.

3 Placetheedgesfromthetofupouchandasmallamountofnozawanapickledgreensandpickledgingerinthecenteroftheroll.Rollupfromthefrontandformintoaslightlyflattenedcircle.

4 Tie twostemsofblanchedmitsuba trefoil (orparsley)around the roll.Cut inhalfcrosswise.

Reverse Rolls (Tezuna-zushi)Reverse rolls are typicallymade by initially forming sushi rice into acylinderandlayeringingredientsontop,thenrollingwithasushimat.It iseasytomonitor thebalanceof theoverallcolorandstructureofthe roll,making the outcome of awell-executedReverseRoll nearlyguaranteed.The toppingsshouldbeslicedevenmore thinly than fornigirisushi.Whenplacingthepiecesdiagonally, layerthemallatthesameangle.Thisproducesabeautifuleffect.

SayoriHalfbeakandShrimpReverseRolls

MAKES6REVERSE-ROLLPIECES

¾cup(150g)preparedsushirice

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthJapaneseorEnglishcucumberpeel

¼cuppreparedseasonedvinegar(seepage9)

2cookedshrimp

1 sayori halfbeak or other small firm-fleshed white fish, boned,salted,andlightlymarinatedinvinegar1teaspoontoastedsesameseeds

1teaspoonpickledginger

1greenshisoleaf,finelyslivered

1 Marinatethecucumberpeelintheseasonedvinegarforatleast30minutes.

2 Removethetails fromtheshrimp.Butterfly thembyopeningupthestomach,thensliceeachone inhalf lengthwise.Cut intoeachpiecewidthwise tomakeeachonehalfasthick,butdonotsliceallthewaythrough.Spreadthe4resultingpiecesflat.

3 Cutthehalfbeakinhalflengthwise,thenslicediagonally.

4 Combine the sushi ricewith the toasted sesame seeds, theminced pickledgingerandthegreenshisoleaf.Formthericeintoalogshape.

5 Arrangetheshrimpandhalfbeakpiecesinalternatingorderdiagonallyonthericelog.

6 Thinlyslicethecucumberpeelandplace7to8stripsontherolldiagonally.

7 Drapetherollwithplasticwrap.

8 Coverwithasushimat,andpresstherollfromabovetosqueezethecontentstogether.Flattenthebottomoftherolltoshapeitintoahalf-moon.

9 Removethesushimatandcarefullyremovetheplasticwrapwithoutdistortingtheroll.Slice.

AutumnMapleLeafReverseRolls

MAKES7REVERSE-ROLLPIECES

Half-sheetnori

4oz(100g)sushi-gradesalmonfillet

½teaspoonwasabipaste

2teaspoonsmayonnaise

⅛avocado,thinlyslicedintocrescent-shapedpieces2 lengthwisequarterscut froma4-in (10.5-cm)JapaneseorEnglishcucumber

31⁄8in(8cm)nozawanagreens,rolledtight

1 Slicethesalmonfilletinto7extra-thinslices.

2 Spreadthesushiriceonahalf-sheetofnori.

3 Flipoverthericeandnoriandspreadthewasabiandmayonnaiseinthefrontsection.Linetheareawiththeavocadoandthecucumberwedges.

4 Startrollingfromtheedgeandcoverwithplasticwrap.Placethesushimatontopandpressfromabove,formingtherollintoahalf–moonshape.

5 Remove the sushi mat and plastic wrap. Lay the salmon slices diagonallyacrosstheroll.

6 Cover with the plastic wrap and sushi mat again and press from above tosqueezethesalmonandricetogetherandadjusttheshape.

7 Removethesushimatandslicetherollinto7diagonalpieceswiththeplastic

wrap still on. Remove the plastic andarrange the cut pieces into amaple-leaf

shape.Createastemfromnozawanapickledgreens.

Inside-Out RollsAssushigainsworldwidepopularity,newtypesofsushiarecroppingup that incorporate local flavors, ingredientsandpreferences.At theforefront of this development are creative variations on inside-outrolls.EvenwithinJapan, theserollsare increasingly indemand.Thissection highlights some inside-out rolls that can very well beconsideredclassicsbynow.

Inside-Out Roll BasicsThe first roll to take theWesternworldby stormwas theCaliforniaRoll. People who found nori seaweed unpalatable had no problemswhenthericewasontheoutside,coveringthenori.Takecarenottogettheplasticwrapstuckintherollwhenassemblingit.Forextraflourishin thepresentation, the fillingsaredeliberatelyextendedso they stickoutoftheendmostslices.

CaliforniaRolls

MAKES6INSIDE-OUTPIECES

½cupplus2tablespoons(120g)preparedsushirice

Half-sheetnori

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthimitationcrab

⅛avocado1leaflettuce(green-leafvariety)

½teaspoontobikoflying-fishroe½teaspoonwasabipaste

1teaspoonmayonnaise

4-in(10.5-cm)JapaneseorEnglishcucumber,quarteredlengthwise

Two⅜x⅜x4-in(1x1x10.5-cm)piecesrawsushi-gradesalmon

1 Cuttheimitationcrabinhalfcrosswisewithadiagonalcut.Slicetheavocadointothreethinwedges.Cuttheleaflettuceinhalflengthwise,thendiagonallyintothinslices.

2 Wrap thesushimatwithplasticwrap.Place thenorion themathorizontallyandspreadthesushiriceoveritinanevenlayer,coveringtheentiresheetandextendingalittlebeyondthebackedgesoitwillhidethenoriwhenrolled.

3 Leaving about¾ inch (2 cm) of space at the front, spread the tobiko evenlyacrosstherice,thenflipthenoriover.

4 Spreadwasabiandmayonnaiseacrossthenorijustinfrontofthecenter.

5 Arrange the sliced lettuce across the nori. Add the imitation crab pieces,extendingtheslantedcutendsofftheedgesofthenori.

6 Lay the cucumber, salmon and avocado across the nori. Position theingredientssotheyextendbeyondthenori.

7 Carefully lift the front of themat.Without shifting thecontents or rolling theplastic wrap into the rice, start rotating the mat, pulling from the back andpressingfromabove.

8 Openthemattochecktheshape,thencoveragaintoadjustintoaroundroll.Remove thematandplasticwrapanduseaverysharpknifedipped invinegarwatertocuttherollinto6slices,wipingoffthebladeaftereachcut.Includetheendsliceswiththeingredientspokingoutupwardsaspartofthepresentation.

Inside-Out Roll VariationsSince inside-out rolls often include unconventional items, it’s anexcellent way to put your imagination to work. Incorporate differentingredients into your sushi rolls—themore colorful, the better. Anddepending on the materials used, the rolls can be modified toaccommodate vegetarians or others with specific dietary needs andpreferences.

RainbowRolls

Half-sheetnori

1teaspoonmayonnaise

⅛avocado,cutintothinwedges1JapaneseorEnglishcucumber,quarteredlengthwise

1tablespoonchoppedbabyleaflettuce

Two2x31⁄8-in(5x8-cm)sliceswhite-fleshedfishsuchasflounder

Two2x31⁄8-in(5x8-cm)slicessalmon

Two2x31⁄8-in(5x8-cm)slicestuna

1 Wrapthesushimatinplasticwrap.Placethenorionithorizontallyandspreadthesushiriceevenlyacrossit.

2 Flip over the nori and rice. Spread themayonnaise across the center of thenori. Arrange the avocado slices, cucumber pieces, and lettuce across thecenterof thenori, extending the ingredients just beyond theedgesof thenori.Makearoundroll.

3 Removethesushimatandplasticwrapandplacetherollonacuttingboard.Lay the fish pieces diagonally across the roll next to each other in alternatingseries(white-fleshedfish,thensalmon,thentuna)onepieceatatime.Coverwithplasticwrap,thenwraptightlywiththesushimatandshapeintoaroundroll.

4 Removeboth thematandplasticwrapanduseaverysharpknifedipped invinegarwatertocuttherollinto6slices,wipingoffthebladeaftereachcut.

ShrimpTempuraRolls

Half-sheetnori

1teaspoonmayonnaise

2teaspoonseelsauceorothersweetsauce

Twowholeshrimptempura

1JapaneseorEnglishcucumber,quarteredlengthwise

1 Wrapthesushimatwithplasticwrap.Laythenorionthemathorizontallyandspreadthesushiriceevenlyacrossit.

2 Flip the nori over. Spread the mayonnaise and sauce across the center.Arrange theshrimp tempura,cucumberpiecesand lettuce ina rowacross thenori,extendingtheingredientsjustbeyond.

3 Remove the sushi mat and plasticwrap and sprinkle toastedwhite sesameseedsevenlyovertheroll.

4 Useaverysharpknifedipped invinegarwater toslicetheroll into6pieces,wipingthebladecleanaftereachcut.

DragonRolls

Half-sheetnori

1teaspoonmayonnaise

½teaspoonwasabipaste

Three⅜x31⁄8-in(1x8-cm)stripsbroiledeel1JapaneseorEnglishcucumber,quarteredlengthwise

½avocado,cutintothinwedges

1 Wrapthesushimatwithplasticwrap.Laythenorionthemathorizontallyandspreadthesushiriceevenlyacrossit.

2 Flip the nori over. Spread the mayonnaise and wasabi across the center.Arrangetheeel,cucumberpiecesandlettuceinarowacrossthenori,extendingtheingredientsjustbeyondtheedges.Makearoundroll.

3 Removethesushimatandplasticwrapanddrapetheavocadoslicesovertherollinanoverlappingrow.Covertherollwithplastic,wrapthesushimataroundit,andshapeintoaroundrollwithoutpressingtoohard.

4 Removeboth thematandplasticwrapanduseaverysharpknifedipped invinegarwatertocuttherollinto6slices,wipingoffthebladeaftereachcut.

Pressed Sushi (Oshi-zushi)EspeciallycommonintheKansairegioninthewesternpartofJapan,pressed sushi is also called hako-zushi or box sushi due to thecontainerused for thepressingprocess.Typicalseafood ingredientsincludemackerel,trout,saltwatereel,andsmallseabream;thesearenotused rawbutare frequentlymarinatedorboiled.Try tokeep thethicknessof the fishslicesuniform.Whenpressing to formthesushishape,adjustthepressuretoavoidcrushingthericegrains.

If you don’t have the proper box setup formaking pressed sushi,you can improvisewith two flared loaf pans. Line one loaf panwithplasticwrap,arrange the toppingsandsushi rice inside itandcoverthe ingredientswithplasticwrap. Insert thesecond loafpan into thefirstandexertevenpressureacrossthebottomtopressthesushiintoshape,asdescribedintherecipebelow.Invertbothpansandremovethefirstpanandplastictorevealthepressedsushi.Carefullytransfertoaservingplatter.

Pressed Sushi BasicsThe standard way of creating pressed sushi is by arranging theingredients upside-down and fitting them into a box.As you arrangetheingredients,envisiontheright-side-updesign.Layerbambooleavesintheboxbeforepressing; thiswillkeepthesurfacescleanand infusethe sushi with lovely fragrance. Create a level surface by pressinguniformlybutnottoofirmlyontheboxlidforbestresults.

ShrimpandSaltWaterEelPressedSushi

MAKESONE6×2×1-INCH(15×5×2.5-CM)SUSHICAKE

1cup(200g)preparedsushirice

Two6-in(15-cm)bambooleaves

2largecookedshrimp,shellsandtailsremoved,butterflied

6-in(15-cm)broiledsaltwatereelfillet

2teaspoonsshreddedJapaneseCrêpe(seepage33)

3or4sprigsofmitsubatrefoilorItalianparsley,brieflyblanched

1 Linethebottomoftheboxwithabambooleaf.

2 Arrange the shrimp along one side with the red side facing down. Lay thesaltwatereelalongsidetheshrimpwithskinsideup.

3 Form½cup(100g)ofthesushiriceintoaballandpackitintothebox.

4 Sprinkletheshreddedeggomeletteoverthericeandaddthemitsuba.

5 Spreadtheremaining½cup(100g)riceevenly,exertingevenpressuretofillthemold.Coverwiththesecondbambooleaf.

6 Placetheboxlidontop,andwithlightbutevenpressure,pushdownonthelidfromthefronttowardthecenterandback.

7 Press from back to front, then from the front again. Repeat several times,increasingpressure.

8 Removethelidandbambooleaves.Slicecrosswiseandserve.

Pressed Sushi VariationsAnotherapproachtopressedsushi is tocompose itasthoughyouarecreatingapaintingwiththeingredients.Todothis,insteadofformingthedesignupsidedown,it’seasiertostartbylayingdownthesushiriceandthenplacingtheingredientsontop.

MountFujiPressedSushi

MAKESONE6×2×1-INCH(15×5×2.5-CM)SUSHICAKE

2teaspoonstarakosaltedpollockroe½filletshimesabaMarinatedMackerel(seepage39)2x2-in(5x5-cm)squaresushi-gradesalmon

Two6-in(15-cm)bambooleaves

1teaspoonmincedpickledwhiteginger

½teaspoonmentaikospicedpollockroe½teaspoonpinkoborofishflakes½teaspoonmincedtakuanpickleddaikon½teaspoonaonorilaverflakes½teaspoongreentobikoflying-fishroe

1 Breakupthe tarakopollockroeandcombinewith½cup(100g)of thesushirice,gentlymixingtoincorporate.Cutthemackerelfilletwidthwisetoreducethethicknessbyhalf.Makesurethethicknessofthefilletisuniform.

2 Cutsidesofthemackerelfillettofitthesushibox(tip:placetheboxlidontopandtracearoundthesideswiththeknife).

3 The filletwill have lighter skinon thebelly sideandpatternedmarkson thedorsalside.Useaparingknifetocutthepieceintoamountainshape,makingthelighterskinintothepeakofthemountain.

4 Use theparingknife tocut thesalmon intoacircle.Cutasmallsection fromthebottomwithastraightcut.

5 Linethebottomoftheboxwithabambooleafandpackinthe½cup(100g)ofplainsushirice.Sprinkletoastedwhitesesameseedsandmincedpickledgingerontherice.

6 Spreadthetarakoriceevenlyoverthesurfaceandpressintoplace.

7 Placetheboxlidontopofthericeandpressgentlyonce.Removethelid.

8 Sprinkle thementaiko here and there across the rice and lay themackerelmountainontop.

9 Place the salmoncircleagainst onesideof themountain.Scatter theoboroandtakuanacrossthe“sky.”

10 Arrangetheaonoriandgreentobikoacrossthebottomofthemountain.

11 Covertheboxinsertwithplasticwrap.

12 Placetheplastic-wrappedinsertontopofthericeandpressasdescribedintherecipeonpage108.

13 Unwrap theplastic from thebox insert.Remove theboxand insert, leavingtheplasticwrapontopofthesushi.

14 Completely encase the pressed sushi cakewith the plasticwrap and let itrestandsettleforatleast15minutes.

NighttimeMountFuji

For this variation, you’ll use the Marinated Mackerel as the sky. Mix black

sesameseedsintothesushiriceinsteadoftarako,anduseapieceofJapaneseOmelette(seepage10)cutintoacircleforthemoon.Sprinklealittleyukaridriedshisopowderandmincedpickledwhitegingerhereandthereacrossthe“sky.”

Vegetable Sushi VariationsThe flavorings of a vegetable-focused sushi are very distinct from theseafoodvariety, andhave theirownappeal.Vegetable sushi is ago-tooption forhealth-conscious people and is a standardoffering in sushirestaurants outside Japan. It makes a great palate cleanser, andincorporatingseasonalingredientsgivesitafreshnessthatcan’tbebeat.Try including pickles, vinegar-marinated foods and simmered seavegetablesforaddedvariety.

PickledEggplantNigiri

Thinlysliceasmallpickledeggplant lengthwiseandplaceasliceonabulletofsushi rice. Decorate with thin slivers of yuzu citrus peel. The purple of theeggplantandtheyellowoftheyuzuarecomplementary,asaretheirflavors.

AsparagusNigiri

Blanch asparagus tips, slice them in half lengthwise and place on top of thebulletofsushirice.Wrapinastripofprosciutto.Thesaltinessofthehamworkswellwiththemildbitternessofasparagus.

YamaimoMountainYamNigiri

Thinstripsofmountainyam top thebulletofsushi rice,which is thenwrapped

with a thin strip of green shiso. Topwith a bit of umeboshi pickled plum. Theuniquecrunchinessof the rawmountain yam iswhatmakes thisnigiri special.Tryusingjicamaasasubstitute.

MushroomNigiri

Sautethecapofa largeshiitakemushroominvegetableoilandaddalittlesoysauce.Placeontopofthenuggetofsushiriceandsecurewithafewstrandsof

blanchedmitsubatrefoil.Oystermushroomsareawonderfuloptionaswell.

Bamboo-ShootNigiri

Cut the tip of a simmered bamboo shoot into a thin slab. Broil or saute in soysauce,thenbrieflygrillonhighheat.Placeonabulletofsushiriceanddecorate

withaleafofkinomeJapanesepricklyash.enjoytherichtexturesandflavors.

OkraNigiri

Removethestemendfromanokrapodandmassagewithsalt.Blanchandsliceinhalflengthwise.Blanchafewmatchstickslicesofcarrotaswell.Arrangethevegetablesonabulletofsushiriceandsecurewithastripofnori.

CherryTomatoNigiri

Quarteracherry tomatoandcuta thinsliceofavocado.Layerapieceofbabyleaf lettuce on top of a sushi rice ball, followed by an avocado slice and twotomatopieces.Topwithadabofmayonnaise.

MyogaGingerBudNigiri

Remove a few leaves from amyoga ginger bud. Place 2 to 3myoga leavescurved-side-downonabulletofsushirice.Filltheleaveswithsimmeredpieces

ofwarabibrackenandfukibutterbur.Wrapwithanarrowstripofnori.

RedRadishNigiri

Drapeaverythinsliceofredradishoveranuggetofsushirice.Wrapwithastrip

ofnoriandtopwithadollopofmiso.Thebright,slightlyspicytasteoftheradishis a great foil for the rice. A slice of pinkwatermelon radish or colorful turnipwouldworkaswell.

Scattered SushiChirashi-zushi

Scatteredsushitakesmanyforms.Sometimesingredientsarearrangedon topof sushi rice, atother times theyaremixed into the rice.Even

tekka-don, apopular ricebowl toppedwith raw tuna, is a versionof

scattered sushi.Have fun by adding decorative ingredients on top ofriceorarrangingpieces intoacleverdesign.TheHydrangeaChirashioutlinedhereisagoodintroductiontoscatteredsushi.

HydrangeaChirashi

MAKES1SCATTEREDSUSHIARRANGEMENT

4-in(10.5-cm)lengthbettarazukewhitepickleddaikon

¼teaspoonyukaridriedshisopowder¼cup(65ml)water

3leavesgreenshiso

¼teaspoonmincedpickledginger

¼teaspoontoastedwhitesesameseeds

2or3thinneedlesofyuzucitruspeel

1 Cut thesidesof thebettarazukewhitepickleddaikon tomakea⅝-inch (1.5-cm)squarebar.Cutouta lengthwise triangularwedgefromthecenterofeachside.

2 Mix theyukariwith thewater.Marinate thecutbettarazukebar forabout15minutes,oruntilithasturnedapalepinkcolor.Meanwhile,cuttheshisoleavesin half crosswise so that you have 3 leaf tips. Set aside the bottom halves foranotheruse.Combinethepickledgingerandwhitesesameseedswiththesushiriceandgentlymixtoincorporate.

3 Insertabambooskewerinthecenterofthedyedbettarazuketomakeaholedown the length of the bar. Insert the yuzu needles into the hole. Slice thinlycrosswisetomakesmallflowers.

4 Formthericeintoaflattenedball.Placetheshisoleaftipsonthericeandtopwiththe“flowers,”arrangingthemtolooklikeahydrangea.

CHAPTER4

Sushi ArrangementsFestive Kazari Sushi is always a crowd-pleaser. Still,developingbasictechniquesisessentialinordertopresentsushi at its best. As you proceed in your sushi-makingcareer,youwillmost likely formulateyourownstyle,butyouhave tokeepyour skillshonedas youprogress.This

section delves into the basics and the art ofmorikomipresentationandarrangement.

MorikomiPresentationBasics

•FlowingArrangement•MandalaArrangement•FanArrangement

VaryingYourSushiPresentations

•ArrangementsforSpecialOccasions•ArrangementforGirls’DayorDoll’sFestival

MiniScatteredSushiforChildren

•Dog•Cat•Panda•Bear•Pig

MountFujiSushiArt

Bamboo-LeafCuttingVariations

DecorativeVegetableCutting

ComingUpwithIdeas

Morikomi Presentation BasicsMorikomireferstothearrangementofsushipiecesonaplattermadespecificallyforservingsushi.Itisthefinishingtouchforsushimaking;a beautiful presentation increases the enjoyment and flavor of thesushi.Therearemanywaysofpresentingsushi,dependingonseveralfactors such as the number of people to be fed and the servinglocation.Let’s review thebasics first.ThearrangementsshownhereincorporateKazariSushiinapresentationdesignedforthreediners.

Flowing ArrangementNagashi Mori

Thisarrangementfeaturesdiagonallyplacedpiecesofsushilinedupinrows.Itisbesttostartatthebackoftheservingplatterandworkyourwayup,aligningthediagonalandhorizontalpieces.Mostdesignsavoidplacing same-colored sushi side-by-side, but for certain occasions thisrule isbroken—onearrangement, for example, groupswhite sushiontheleftsideandredsushiontheright.

TIPSMatch the sushi angles and align the horizontal rows. • Avoid placingdifferentsushiwiththesametoppingsnexttoeachother.•Positiontaller,morecomplicatedsushipiecestowardthebackandsimplerones towardthe front.•Placetoppingswithobviousdirectionalqualitiessothatthebottompointstothelowerright(shrimp,forexample,shouldbepositionedwiththetaildownward).•Add the decorative cut bamboo leaves at the end, taking care that they don’tobscurethesushi.

1 First,placenorirollsandKazariSushiattheverybackoftheplate.ElaborateKazaripiecestendtoovershadowtheothersushi,soplacethemnearthebackoronthesideunlessyouwantthemtobethemainfocus.

2 Placetwotypesofbattleshiprollsinthesecondrowfromtheback.Becausetheserollstendtobetaller,it’sbesttokeepthemtowardtheback.Placethematauniformdiagonalangle.

3 Arrangegizzardshadandshrimpnigirisushiinthenextrowforward.Pointthetail end toward the lower right, and match the diagonal angle to that of thebattleshiprollsintherowabove.

4 Placetunaandsquidnigiripiecesnext.Positionthetunainfrontofthegizzardshadandthesquidinfrontoftheshrimp.

5 TheJapaneseOmelette nigiri shouldmakeup thenext row. For variety, linethemuphorizontally.

6 Forthefinalrow,lineupsalmonnigiripiecesatthesameangleasthetunaandsquidnigiritworowsback.Fanoutthecutbambooleavesandtuckthemintothespacebetweenthesalmonandomelettesushi.Addamoundofpickledginger.

Mandala ArrangementHosha Mori

This attractive concentric arrangement makes sushi easily accessiblefrom all directions, so it’s a suitable presentation for round tables.Decidewhattoplace inthecenterfirst,anddesigntheradiatingrowssothatthepieces intendedforasingleservingareeasytodistinguish.Striveforvariationsinheightandutilizecutbambooleavestocreateapleasingbalance.This celebratorypresentation features aKazariRollinthecenter.

TIPS Decide on the center elements and put them in place first. The moreelaboratesushishouldgonearthecenter.•Createvarietywiththepositioningofthesushi;don’thavethemallfacethesamedirection.•Usecutbambooleavestoindicatesingleservingsortoaddheight.•Checkfromalldirectionstoassessthebalanceoftheentirepresentation.

1 PlacethefocalKazariRollinthecenteroftheplatter.

2 Combine Japanese Omelette nigiri and shrimp nigiri in a three-prongedformation. To give a sense of dimension, prop the shrimp on the JapaneseOmelettewiththetailfacingoutward.

3 Place gizzard shad nigiri between the JapaneseOmelette and shrimp nigiri.Arrange tuna and white-fleshed fish nigiri next. Alternate the red and white

colorstosymbolizecelebration(thisisalsoreinforcedbythekanjicharacter祝iwai,“celebration,”inthecentralKazariRoll).

4 Roundoutthepresentationwithsea-urchinroeandsalmonroebattleshiprolls.AddsalmonnigirinexttotheJapaneseOmelette.Slidecutbambooleavesunder

theshrimpnigiriandaddpickledginger.

Fan ArrangementOugimori

Asitsnameindicates,thisarrangementisshapedlikeafan.It’sagoodpresentation for events with a guest of honor or for buffet-stylegatherings where tables are pushed against a wall. Like the FlowingArrangement(page114), it isassembledfrombacktofront.Keepthefocalpointat thevery front inmind,as therowsbecomenarrowerasthearrangementisfilledin.

TIPSDesignatethefocalpointat thefrontof theplatterandarrangethesushipiecesinafanshape.•Payattentiontotheangleofthesushiplacement,astherowsbecomenarrowertowardthefocalpoint.•Placingthefocalpointsushifirstwill make the overall composition easier to construct. •Add visual interest byvaryingheightsandlayeringorproppingonetypeofsushionanother.•Decoratewithcutbambooleaves,interspersingthemwithinthefanshape.•Lastly,place

amoundofpickledgingeroneithersideoftheplatter.

1 Arrange three pieces of gizzard shad nigiri in the upper left quadrant of theserving platter, angling them toward the center. Place three pieces of white-fleshed fish nigiri at the upper right, angling them toward the center as well.Makesuretopointthetailendofthegizzardshadtowardthecenter.

2 FormtheJapaneseOmelettenigiriintoanarcunderneaththenigiri.

3 Propafan-shapedpieceofdecorativecutbambooleafagainsteachomelettenigiri.

4 Placeapieceofshrimpnigiriontopofeachbambooleaf,leaningittail-end-upagainsttheomelettesushi.

5 Place two pieces of Kazari Sushi against the shrimp, making sure that thedesignisfacingtherightsideup.

6 Arrange three ikura salmon-roebattleship rolls on the left sideof theKazarirolls,andsea-urchinroebattleshiprollsontheright.Placeonepieceofsalmonnigirion the leftsideof thegizzardshad,placeanotheron therightsideof thewhite-fleshedfish,andplaceathirdonebetweenthetwo.Arrangethreepiecesoftunanigiriintoafanshapeatthefront.

Varying Your Sushi PresentationsSometimes you want to break the mold and try unconventionalpresentations. Even if the sushi used is orthodox, modern andinnovative designs can be achieved. The following section will helpyou flex your creativity for special occasions and celebratoryarrangements.Note:it’simportanttoquicklyassemblethepiecesandservethemformaximumfreshnessandtoensurefoodsafety.

Arrangements for SpecialOccasionsFutomaki thick rolls, regularnigiri sushi, and thin rollswith tunaarestaples at any sushi restaurant.Here’s a way to present these typicalsushi pieces in a freshway to serve three to four people.Try using asimpleplate insteadofatraditionalservingvessel forsushi;substituteherbsforcutbambooleavesandaddcutradishesandcherrytomatoesasaccents.

TIPSGivinganodtocakedecoration,arrangethesushipiecesinacirclewiththecenterportionrisinghigherthantherest.•Createapleasingcolorschemewiththesushipieces,andpositionthemsothatthearrangementlooksthesamewhenviewedfromanydirection.•Embellishwithvegetablesthataredecorativeaswellasedible, likeradishes.•Asafinishingtouch, topwithapieceofnigirisushibearingawordormessagecutoutofnori.

Even if youdon’t gooutof yourway tomakespecial sushi, decorativearrangementsareeasy tocreate.Homecooks can simply purchase ready-made sushi as a starting point. Don’t forget to use it before theexpirationdate,though!

1 Arrange pieces of futomaki thick rolls in a ring with the contents facingoutward. Try alternating nori-wrapped rolls with egg-wrapped ones for addedvibranceandvariety.

2 Fillthecenteroftheringwithpreparedsushirice.Flattenthesurface.

3 Arrangea ringofuprightpiecesof tuna rollalong the insideof the futomakiring.

4 ScattershreddedJapaneseCrêpe(seepage33)ontopofthesushirice.

5 Surround the futomaki ringwithpiecesofnigiri sushi.Match theanglesandavoidplacingthesametypeofnigirisushinexttoeachother.

6 Makeahorizontal incision in themiddleof thebackofa rawamaebi sweetshrimporothersashimi-graderawshrimp.Curvethetailandslip it throughtheopeningtomakethetailstandstraightup.Repeatwithasecondshrimp.Placeinthecenterofthearrangement.

7 Decorate the platter with pickled ginger, and top with decoratively slicedradish,cherrytomato,lemonandherbs.

8 Make a rectangular squid nigiri and arrange thin pieces of nori to spell out

words (the arrangement on page 117 says オメデト� ウ omedetou,“Congratulations”).Press tobikoonthesushiriceonall foursides.Placeinthecenterofthearrangementnexttotheprawns.

Arrangement for Girls’ Day orDoll’s FestivalHina Matsuri

The elements of this presentation are constructed from nigiri sushi,

inari-zushi deep-fried tofu pouches and futomaki thick rolls. The

emperor and empress figures sit prominently in the center and theothersushiarearrangedaroundtheminthefanstyle(page116).Thispresentation,whichfeaturesalotofkid-friendlysushisuchastunaandsalmon,caneasilybemadefromstore-boughtsushi.

TIPSThebodiesofthedollsaremadefromsushirolls,andtheheadsaremadeofballsofsushirice.•Positionthedollfiguresinthecenter,astheyarethestarsofthisarrangement.•Placeshortersushipiecesinfrontofthedollssothattheyarenotblockedfromview.•Arrangetheothersushipieces intoafanshape.•Makesushiselectionsthatwillappealtochildren,suchas inari-zushifried-tofupouches,tunanigiri,salmonnigiri,andJapaneseOmelette.

1 Cut3piecesoftunanigirisushiinhalf.Coveroneofthehalvesinplasticwrapand shape into a sphere (see page 101).Make 5 spheres in all. Repeatwith 3piecesofshrimpnigirisushi.

2 Cuttwo1-inch(2.5-cm)circlesoutofastripofyellowtail.Useapunchorfinescissors to cut eyes, noses, and mouths out of nori. Pinch the upper left and

upper right ends of an inari-zushi tofu pouch to form ears. Place a yellowtailpieceinthecenterofthetofupouchanddecoratewiththecut-outnoritocreate

abearface.Repeatwithasecondinari-zushipouch.

3 Arrange½cup(100g)preparedsushiriceintoacylindershape(ifusingstore-

bought sushi, use the rice fromachirashi bowl).Placeonacuttingboardandcoverwithplasticwrap.Useakitchenknifebladetoflatteneachside,makingarectangularbar.Continueflatteningandshapingtoformaparallelogram.Cuttheparallelograminhalftoform2diamond-shapedpieces.

4 Arrangeslicesoffutomakithickrollandtekka-makitunathinrolltomakethedolls’bodiesasshown.Laytwogreenshisoleavesinfrontandarrangethesushispheres fromstep1on top tomake flowers. Fill thecenterof the flowerswithshreddedJapaneseCrêpe.

5 Placeadiamond-shapedpiece fromstep3oneithersideof thedoll figures,andplaceaninari tofupouchinfrontofeachone,or infrontof theflowers,asshowninthelargephotoontheoppositepage.

6 Makethedolls’headsoutofsushirice.Decorateeachheadwithnori,cookedshiitake mushrooms and cucumbers. Attach to the futomaki “body” with askewer. Fill empty spaces on the platter with nigiri sushi, battleship rolls, andpressedmackerelsushi.Createtwo“lanterns”byplacingacherrytomatoontopofapieceofcucumber.Placeonenexttoeachdollfigure.Finishbyaddingtwomoundsofpickledginger.

Mini Scattered Sushi for Children

Chirashi

Thesearrangementshavetonsofkidappeal.Useapunchtocreatenoripiecesforcutefacialexpressions.

Scoop about ½ cup (100 g) of prepared sushi rice into a bowl and flatten the

surface.Blend tobiko flying-fish roewithadditionalsushi riceandshape intoaflattenedcircle.Placeinthebowlofsushirice.Slicesalmonintothincirclesfortheearsandcutascallopintoanovalforthenoseandmouth.Decoratewithcut

noripieces.Fillthespacearoundthedogwithmincednozawanapickledmustardgreensandsmallpiecesoftunaandwhite-fleshedfish.Addacherrytomatoforthefinishingtouch.

Scoop about ½ cup (100 g) of prepared sushi rice into a bowl and flatten the

surface.Cutfourleavesofgreenshisoinhalfalongthecenterveinandarrange

aroundtheedgeofthebowl.Formikurasalmonroeintotheshapeofabearfaceontopoftherice.CutacircleofJapaneseOmelette(seepage10)forthenoseandmouthandtwohalf-circlesfortheears.Arrangecutnorifortheeyes,nose,andmouth.Scatterchoppedimitationcrabaroundtheedgesoftheface.

Scoop about ½ cup (100 g) of prepared sushi rice into a bowl and flatten thesurface. Shape additional sushi rice into a flattened circle. Layer thinly slicedwhite-fleshedfishontopfortheface,thenplaceinthemiddleofthebowlofrice.Make twosmall trianglesandoneovaloutofsushi rice, thencover thesewiththinly sliced white-fleshed fish to make the ears and a paw. Decorate withsalmonandsoy-sauceglaze(forthepatternneartheears),tuna(pawpads),andnori (face). Fill the space around the cat’s facewith choppedJapaneseCrêpe

(see page 33) toppedwith pieces of kaiware daikon sprouts and ikura salmonroe.

Scoop about ½ cup (100 g) of prepared sushi rice into a bowl and flatten thesurface.Placeaflatcircleof fattytunainthemiddle.Addthinslicesofscallopforthenoseandears.Maketheeyesandnostrilsoutofnori.Scatterthinlyslicedgreenonions(boththegreenandwhiteparts)aroundtheedgeoftheface.

Scoop about ½ cup (100 g) of prepared sushi rice into a bowl and flatten thesurface.Shapeadditionalsushiriceintoaflattenedcircle.Coverwithacircleofthinlyslicedsquidandplaceinthemiddleofthebowl.Mixsushiricewithblacksesameseeds,formintotwosmallriceballs,andattachasears.Maketheface

outofnoriandpickledburdockroot.Fillthespacearoundthepandawithtobikoflying-fishroeandikurasalmonroe.Addcucumberpiecescutintotheshapeofbambooleaves.

Mount Fuji Sushi ArtInsushiart,avariationonscatteredsushi,theingredientsarearrangedto looklikeapainting.Dependingonthedesign,KazariRollsmaybeincorporated, as they are here. We encourage you to use yourimagination when you create sushi paintings. Although a beautifulcompositionistheendgoal,theinterplayofflavorsisimportantaswell.Startingwithasimplesketchishelpful.Featuredhereisa14x8-inch(35x20-cm)piecethatservesapproximately10people.

TIPSBeforestarting,createanactual-sizesketch.•Prepareall thenecessaryingredients and Kazari Rolls. •To avoid running out of rice for the foundation,prepareandsetasidetherequiredamountinabowlorcontainer.•Youwillneedabout6cups(1.2kg)ofpreparedsushirice inall (notcountingthericeneededfor theKazariRolls). •Arrange theelementsas rapidlyaspossible. •Take theoverall balance into consideration as you arrange the sushi elements. •Makeuseofthevariegatedpatternsinthemackerelskinwhenmakingthemountain.•Youwillneed2or3MarinatedMackerelfillets(seepage39),dependingonsize.• Use tobiko flying-fish roe, ikura salmon roe, oboro flakes, chopped takuanpickled daikon and yukari dried shiso powder for the gradations in the sky. •Make the sky brighter on the sunrise side, and use yukari to darken it on theoppositeside.

Preparethe ingredients for thepainting in theamountsneeded:sushipieces, tobiko flying-fishroe,yukaridriedshisopowder,oboroflakes,vegetables,etc.

1 Form the sushi rice base. Combine 4 cups / 800 g of sushi rice with 3tablespoonseachoboro, tarakoandtoastedwhitesesameseeds.Gentlymixtoincorporate.

2 Blend 2 teaspoons each minced pickled ginger and toasted white sesameseedswith1cup (200g)of thesushi rice.Shape intoamountainon topof thericebasefromstep1.

3 TheMountFujibaseisnowcomplete.

4 SlicetheMarinatedMackerel fillets intouniformthickness,andseparate thewhitebellyside fromthepatterneddorsalside.Use thepartwithwhiteskinasthesummit; cut thedarkerpatternedpiecesandarrange them intoamountainshape.Placeontopofthemountainbase.

5 Oncethemackerelpiecesareinplace,coverwithplasticwrap.Pressontheplastictoadjusttheshapeandaffixthemackereltothesushirice.

6 Combine½cup(100g)ofsushiricewith1teaspoonaonorilaverflakesand2teaspoons finely minced nozawana pickled mustard greens. Spread the greenriceinanevenlayerunderneathMountFuji.

7 Cutathinsliceofsalmonintoacircle.Trimoneedgeoffwithastraightcutandform1 tablespoonof sushi rice intoasizeandshape thatmatches thesalmonpiece.Placesalmononthericeandpositionitagainsttheslopeofthemountain.

8 Scattertobikoflying-fishroe,sliveredtakuanpickleddaikonandikurasalmonroeonthesushi-rice“sky”tocreateasunseteffect.

9 Scatteryukaridriedshisopowderandoboro flakestoaddcolorgradationtothesky.

10 Shape thin slices of broiled anago saltwater eel into “branches” and addKazari Sushi flowers, leaves and birds in a balanced way. Cut thin slices of

kamaboko fishcakeintocloudshapesandplaceinthesky.Addsproutsonthebottomanddecoratethebirdswithnorieyes.

Bamboo Leaf Cutting (Sasagiri)VariationsBambooleavesandharan(aspidistra)leavesaremostcommonlyusedfor the classic craft of decorative leaf cutting known as sasagiri,thoughotherleavesmaybeusedaswell.Consideredanessentialpartof traditionalsushipresentations,decorative leavesnotonlybeautifythe dish but also serve as partitions to separate groupings of sushi.Plus, their antibacterial propertiesmake them ideal forusewith rawfish. The more elaborate the leaf-cutting design, the more luxuriousthe sushi appears. As you become accustomed to the craft, trycreatingandlayeringmultipleleavesforgreaterimpact.Wewillcoverthebasicsandrepresentativedesignsinthissection.

TIPSUseasmall-bladedknifeoraparingknifetomakedetailworkeasier.•Ifpossible, useacuttingmat specifically forsasagiri. •Wetting thebamboo leafslightly makes it less slippery and easier to cut. •When cutting out intricatedesigns,holdtheknifelikeapencil,withyourthumbnearthebaseoftheblade.•Usethehandthatisnotholdingtheknifetoholddowntheleafsecurely.•Cuttheleafquickly,andifitwillnotbeusedrightaway,placeitinwater.

Whencuttingtheleafintoasymmetricalshape,asforpartitions,cutoffthestemfirstandfoldtheleafinhalfhorizontally.Cutwiththefoldfacingtowardyou.

Fordetailedwork,holdtheknifelikeapencilandcutwiththetip.

Barrier LeavesKenzasa

Kenzasa leaves serve the same function as sekisho leaves. Because

theycombinestraight lines tocreatepointededges, theyarerelativelyeasy to cut out.By varying thewidth and angle of the pointed edges,

you can create some visual interest. The gosasa pattern shown here

startedoutasathin,longpieceofbambooleafcutintwoandlayered.

GosasaPattern

Partition LeavesSekisho

Partition leavesareusedtoseparatepiecesofsushiwith incompatibleflavors so they don’t mix, or to create sharp color contrasts. Theirheight also addsdimensionandmovement to the arrangement.Many

partitionsarecreatedbykeepingtheleaffoldedinhalflengthwiseasitiscut,whichcreatessymmetricaldesigns.

PineTree

Shrimp

Base LeavesShikizasa

A leaf cut in this pattern would be placed on the container or dishunderneath the sushi arrangement. It can also be used under sashimiappetizers. Like the net pattern shown here, the entire leaf couldconsistofasinglerepeatedpattern,orthecentermighthaveacraneorflowershapesurroundedbyotherdesigns.

Decorative LeavesKeshozasa

These leaves are the final flourishof a traditional arrangement.Theyarenotusedasapartition; rather, their function ispurelydecorative.Commondesignsincludeshrimp,craneandfamilycrests.Theadditionof a single keshozasa leaf can increase the splendor of the presentationexponentially.

Shrimp

NetPattern

MountFuji

Butterfly

Decorative Vegetable CuttingVegetablescomeincolorsthatarenotfoundinfishandothertypicalseafoodingredients.Evenasimpledecorativevegetablesliceaddsadistinctivesenseoffreshnesstoasushiarrangement,andispleasingtotheeye.Thissectionfeatureseasywaystoincorporatedecorativevegetablesintocelebratoryarrangements.

WasabiContainer:Version1(BalloonFlower)

1 CutofftheendofaJapaneseorEnglishcucumber.About⅝inch(1.5cm)fromthecutend,inserttheknifediagonallyandsliceuptothecoreofthecucumber.

2 Rotate the cucumber 90° and make another cut as in step 1. Repeat twicemore.

WasabiContainer:Version2(Boat)

1 Cut a Japanese or English cucumber into a 2⅜-inch (6-cm) long piece andslice in half lengthwise. With the cut side facing down, hollow out a smallersectionfromthetopbyinsertingtheknifeatanangleonallfoursides.

2 Cutofftheleftandrightendsatanangletoformtheboat.Chooseeithertheleftorrightsideandmakeasmallincisioninthemiddlewherethe“sail”willbeadded.Cutathinslicefromthesectionremovedinstep1.Insertintotheincision.

WasabiContainer:Version3(Daisy)

Layaleafofgreenshisounderneathandplaceapieceofmincedtakuanpickleddaikoninthecentertomakeadecorativeflower.

1 Cuta1¼-inch(3-cm)longpieceofcarrotandthinlyslicethepeeloff.CutoutsmallVshapesallaroundtheedgeofthecarrottocreatejaggededges.

2 Placetheknifeataslightangleatoneend.Thinlysliceallaround.

PineTree

1 Cut a 3 1⁄8-inch (8-cm) long pieceof cucumber and slice in half lengthwise.Placewithcutside facingdownand insertabambooskewercrosswise in themiddle.

2 Makeaseriesofparallellengthwisecutsuptowherethebambooisinserted.Removethebambooskewer.

3 Cutalittleoffeachsideofthelongeredgesandplacethepiecehorizontally.Afewcentimetersfromtheleftedge, inserttheknifeatanangleandmakeathinslice,butdon’tcutallthewaythrough.Usingtheknife,shifttheslicetowardoneside.Makeanothersliceabovethefirstone,thenshiftthisslicetotheotherside.Repeat these back-and-forth steps as you add small cuts to the edge of thecucumberslicesasyougo.

ChristmasTree

1 Repeatsteps1and2forthePineTree(page125).

2 Trimtheleftandrightedgesatanangle,formingalongtrapezoid.

3 Placehorizontallywiththepointedsidefacingtotheleft.Inserttheknifeatanangle on the left side and slice the peel without cutting all the way through,alternating theshiftingandspreadingof theslicedpeelsaswith thePineTree.

Addlittlecutstotheedgesofthepeels.Decoratewithikurasalmonroe.

Butterfly

1 Cuta31⁄8-inch (8-cm) longpieceofcarrotand thinlysliceoff thepeel.Trimone section off to create a straight edge. Perpendicular to that edge, trim offanothersection.Ontheroundedside,makeav-shapedcutandsmooththeedgeintoacurve.Cut small notches in themiddleof the first straight edge, directlyoppositetheroundedside.

2 Positionthecarrotasshowninthephotoabove,thencutathinslicefromtheedge.

3 Turn the sliced piece from step 2 on its side, and insert the knife withoutcuttingallthewaythrough.Thesewillbecomethewings.

4 Rotate the piece from step 3 so that the cut side is facing you. Leaving thecornerintact,makeasliverincisionintheedge.Rotate180°anddothesamewiththeinnersection.

5 Openupthecarrotfromthecentertoformthewings.Thesliversfromstep4willbetheantennae;pullthemoutgently,thentucktheminbetweenthewings.

Chrysanthemum

1 Cut a 3 1⁄8-inch (8-cm) length of daikon and remove the peel. Rotate theresultingcylinderagainsttheknifeedgeasshowninthephoto,gentlymovingtheknifeupanddown,tocreateapaper-thinsheet.

2 Cut a 1½-inch (4-cm) length of carrot and remove the peel. Use the samemethodtocutapaper-thinsliceallthewayaround.

3 Makeaseriesofcloselyspacedparallelcutsabouthalfwayupthewidthofthecarrotsheet.Rollthepieceupfromoneedge.

4 Fold the daikon sheet in half lengthwise. Make a series of closely spacedparallelcutsalongthefoldededge.

5 Roll togetherfromtheedgesothatthecutedgesofthecarrotalignwiththefoldededgeofthedaikon.

6 Securewithatoothpick.Placeinwaterandwatchtheflowerbloom!

Combiningthebutterflywiththechrysanthemumischarming,too.

Coming Up with IdeasThe thrillofKazariSushi ishow it lends itself tocreativeexpression.Asyourskillsdevelop,challengeyourself tocomeupwithyourown,original ideas. You’ll be able to better respond to your customers’requests for flavorful dishes, and your ideas could lead to new andexcitingmenuofferings.

Create the BlueprintThebestof ideaswillgonowhere if theyaremerely thoughts inyourhead. Start by sketching some ideas on paper. Sketches rendered inactual size will be enormously helpful in determining how muchmaterials and ingredients will be necessary down the line. Avoidintricatedesignsandsticktosimplifiedconcepts.

Once the sketch is complete, think about the techniques you’vepracticed and how you can incorporate them into your own design.Take the time to decide on the ingredients andmaterials aswell.Asmuch as possible, you’ll want to use what you have on hand orconcentrateonsuppliesthatareeasilyacquired.Trytoavoidhard-to-findspecialtyfoods.

TheroughsketchesfortheSparrowRollsonpage80.Thespecificingredientamountsandstepswerethenrefined.

PrototypingWhen you have a satisfactory blueprint and plan, the next step is tocreate a prototype. Keep a running list of the ingredients used, theamounts, the colors andoverall shape.Taste it and trackhow long ittakes to make each roll. As you test out your idea, tweak all thecomponents as needed. You will probably need to create multipleprototypes until you hit on the right combination. But as yourepeatedlytestandmodify,eachroundwillbecomeeasier.

TulipPrototypes(page40)

Comparedtothefinalversion,thenoriinthisprototypeistouchingthebottomoftheplanterandthecheese

kamabokotuliphasthreepointededges.

Moresushiricehasbeenaddedbetweenthebottomoftheplanterandtheouternori.Theflowerdesignhasbeenshiftedupwardwhichimprovestheoverallbalance.Thefloweritselfhasbeensimplifiedtotwopetalsandismoretulip-like.

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Sushi Art Cookbook: The Complete Guide to Kazari Maki Sushi

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Transcript of Sushi Art Cookbook: The Complete Guide to Kazari Maki Sushi

Sushi art cookbook: the complete guide to kazari sushi

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