Brigid’s Sushi Prawn Cake
The recipe for this fabulous sushi cake was given to me by Brigid Treloar who used to take cooking classes at the Sydney Seafood School. Cut into wedges and served with wasabi and soy sauce, it makes a spectacular starter. I’ve taken a few liberties with her original recipe by staining the cooked rice with beetroot juice.
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
Brigid points out that the proportions of the three ingredients used to make sushi vinegar (rice vinegar, sugar and salt), can be varied according to personal taste to make it sweeter or saltier. Don’t be afraid to experiment, but if preferred, ready-made sushi vinegar can be purchased at most Asian grocery stores and supermarkets.
Also an electric fan, on lowest setting, can be used to cool the rice, otherwise use a hand-held one.
I used beetroot juice from a tin of beetroots to stain the cooked rice.
Ingredients
Serves 12
- sushi rice (such as Koshihikiari), 600g (3 cups)
- water, 3 cups
- rice vinegar, 5 tablespoons
- sugar, 3 tablespoons
- salt, 1/4 teaspoon
- ground lemon myrtle, 3/4 – 1 teaspoon (optional)
- beetroot juice, 3 – 4 tablespoons
For the “Cake”: - cooked sushi rice, (5 – 6 cups)
- large green prawns, 12
- rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons
- sugar, 1 tablspoon
- salt, 1/2 teaspoon
- lebanese cucumber, 1, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise with skin on
- yaki nori (toasted seaweed), 2 sheets
- wasabi, 1 -2 tablespoons
Garnish: - red pickled ginger, 1- 2 tablespoons
- black sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons, roasted
Put the rice in a sieve and wash four to five times or until the water comes clear. Drain well.
If using a rice cooker, place rice and water in the cooker, cover and turn on. When it automatically turns off, leave to stand 10 – 15 minutes with lid on.
If using a saucepan, add rice and water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer on low heat until all water is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stand 10 – 15 minutes with the lid on.
Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt and lemon myrtle in a small pan and heat gently to dissolve sugar. Remove and cool.
Place the rice in a large, non-metallic bowl. Pour vinegar mixture over cooled rice, slicing (not stirring because it squashes the grains) with a wooden paddle or spoon to mix evenly. Fan the rice until it reaches room temperature, about 5 – 8 minutes, turning once, to give good flavour, texture and gloss. Not all the vinegar may be required; the rice shouldn’t become too wet or mushy. Stir through the beetroot juice, if using. Keep covered with a clean damp tea towel to stop rice drying out until ready to use.
To Make the Sushi Cake:
Run a bamboo skewer just under the shell from the head end to the tail so the flesh is not damaged. Place in boiling water and simmer until prawns turn orange, 3 – 4 minutes. Plunge into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking.
Remove head and skewers. Peel the prawns and butterfly them by making a slit along the underside. Gently spread the prawns flat without separating the two parts.
Remove the vein. Mix together the vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved and sprinkle over prawns. Marinate for 10 – 15 minutes.
Line a 23cm springform cake tin with plastic wrap, leaving a little hanging over the edge. Lay the prawns in a circle, cut side up, with tails towards the centre. Add a dab of wasabi to each prawn. Spread over enough sushi rice to cover the prawns evenly. Cover with seaweed and press down firmly. Place a plate over the cake tin and invert. Remove tin and carefully peel off the plastic. Place sesame seeds around the edge of the rice.
Cut into wedges and serve with soy sauce and red pickled ginger. Makes 12 wedges.