Chirashi-zushi (ちらし寿司) — Scattered Sushi Rice with Colorful Toppings

• 450 gJapanese short-grain rice
• 540 mlwater
• 1 sheetkombu (about 8 cm square)
• 90 mlrice vinegar
• 60 ggranulated sugar (36g for sushi vinegar, 18g for simmered vegetables, 6g for kinshi tamago)
• 17 gfine sea salt (12g for sushi vinegar, 4g for rubbing kanpyo, 1g for kinshi tamago)
• 6dried shiitake mushrooms
• 360 mlwarm water (for soaking shiitake)
• 20 gkanpyo (dried gourd strips)
• 120 glotus root (peeled and thinly sliced)
• 120 gcarrot (peeled and cut into thin matchsticks)
• 240 mlbonito and kombu dashi
• 180 mlreserved shiitake soaking liquid
• 45 mlJapanese soy sauce
• 30 mlmirin
• 30 mlsake
• 3eggs
• 10 mlneutral oil
• 12raw shrimp (peeled and deveined, tails optional)
• 12snow peas (strings removed)
• 60 gikura (salmon roe)
• 12 gtoasted white sesame seeds
• 1 sheetnori (cut into fine shreds)
• 40 gpickled ginger
• 12 gwasabi

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain it in a sieve for 30 minutes. Put the drained rice, 540 ml water, and kombu sheet in a rice cooker or heavy pot, and let it soak for another 20 minutes before cooking.

2. 2

   Cook the rice according to your rice cooker setting, or bring it to a boil in a covered pot, reduce the heat to very low, cook for 12 minutes, then rest off the heat for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the kombu before seasoning the rice.

3. 3

   While the rice cooks, combine the rice vinegar, 36 g sugar, and 12 g salt in a small saucepan. Warm it over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring only until the sugar and salt dissolve, then remove it from the heat and let it cool.

4. 4

   Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in 360 ml warm water for 30 minutes, then squeeze them gently and reserve 180 ml of the soaking liquid. Trim off and discard the tough stems, then slice the caps into thin strips.

5. 5

   Rub the kanpyo with 4 g salt for 1 minute, rinse it well, and simmer it in plain water for 10 minutes until pliable. Drain it, squeeze out excess water, and cut it into 3 cm lengths so it mixes evenly through the rice.

6. 6

   Put the sliced shiitake, kanpyo, lotus root, carrot, dashi, reserved shiitake liquid, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and 18 g sugar in a saucepan. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 18 to 22 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed but not scorched.

7. 7

   Beat the eggs with 6 g sugar and 1 g salt until fully blended, then strain the mixture for a finer texture. Heat a lightly oiled nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and cook the egg in thin sheets, using only enough egg to coat the pan each time.

8. 8

   Stack the cooked egg sheets after they cool, roll them loosely, and slice them into very fine ribbons called kinshi tamago. Keep the ribbons covered so they do not dry out while the rest of the toppings are prepared.

9. 9

   Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil and cook the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes, until firm and opaque. Lift them out, then blanch the snow peas in the same water for 45 seconds and cool them under cold running water to preserve their color.

10. 10

    Transfer the hot cooked rice to a wide wooden sushi tub or a large nonreactive bowl. Sprinkle the cooled sushi vinegar over the rice and fold with a rice paddle using slicing motions, fanning the rice for 3 to 4 minutes so it becomes glossy rather than mashed.

11. 11

    Fold the simmered vegetables gently into the seasoned rice while both are still slightly warm. Spread the rice into a shallow serving bowl or individual bowls, keeping the surface loose and airy rather than compacted.

12. 12

    Arrange the egg ribbons, shrimp, snow peas, ikura, sesame seeds, and shredded nori over the rice in colorful bands or scattered clusters. Serve the chirashi-zushi at room temperature with measured portions of pickled ginger and wasabi on the side.