Chirashizushi

Namiko Hirasawa Chen recalls chirashizushi at family celebrations in Japan. Her Osaka mother called the mixed style barazushi; this selected recipe folds seasoned vegetables into rice rather than arranging a sashimi assortment over it.

Dried shiitake is soaked, sliced and cooked with its strained soaking liquid. Shaved burdock, rehydrated kanpyo and later-added carrot simmer with supplied packet dashi, cooking sake, mirin, sugar and soy sauce before cooling.

Short-grain rice cooks with water and selected optional kombu. After the kombu is removed, a separate rice-vinegar, sugar and kosher-salt mixture seasons the hot rice, which is gently sliced and fanned until glossy.

Eggs, a separate mirin portion, kosher salt and the selected cornstarch-water slurry make thin crepes in an oiled pan. The cooled crepes are rolled and sliced into fine strands; snow peas are separately blanched and shell-on shrimp boiled with salt and sake, then peeled.

Excess liquid is squeezed from the vegetable mix before it is folded into the cooled rice. Egg strands, shrimp, snow peas, toasted white sesame and shredded nori complete the platter, with the source emphasizing tangy-sweet flavour and colourful presentation.