← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 250 g sashimi-grade tuna (maguro)
• 1 tbsp Sake
• 1 tbsp Mirin
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 bowls of warm Japanese short-grain rice
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar mixed with 1 tsp sugar and a pinch of salt, for the rice (optional)
• 1 sheet Nori, cut into thin strips
• 4 Shiso (Japanese perilla) leaves, finely shredded
• 1 Spring onion, finely sliced
• 1 tsp Sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 tsp Wasabi paste

Method

1. Heat the sake and mirin in a small pan for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol, then stir in the soy sauce and let it cool completely.
2. Slice the tuna against the grain into pieces about 7 mm thick. Lay them in the cooled marinade, turning to coat, and refrigerate for 10 min. Any longer and the surface turns firm and salty.
3. If you like a sushi-style bowl, fold the seasoned vinegar through the warm rice.
4. Fill the bowls with rice and scatter over the nori and shiso.
5. Fan the tuna on top, spoon over a little marinade, then add the spring onion, sesame seeds and a dab of wasabi.

Tips

• Use only sashimi-grade tuna from a trusted fishmonger, keep it cold and eat it on the day. Raw fish is not advised for pregnant women, young children or anyone with low immunity.
• Slightly warm rice under cold fish is the classic contrast; hot rice will cook the tuna.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Just One Cookbook Pickled Plum Japanese Cooking 101