Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 40 minutes
To serve 4

You will need
1 lb. rice
1 1/2 pints water
4 tablespoons sake (Japanese rice wine) (See Card No. 20)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 lb. sea bream or turbot
3 tablespoons sugar
1 sheet nori (dried seaweed)

Prepare the rice 1 hour before cooking. Wash and put into a thick pan with the water, 2 tablespoons sake, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce. When ready to cook, bring to boiling point; reduce the heat, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Turn off heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes, then put into a bowl. While rice is cooking, cook the bream in boiling salted water. Drain, remove skin and bones, wrap in a cloth and rub lightly until the fish flakes. Put the fish into a pan with the sugar, 2 tablespoons sake, 2 teaspoons soy sauce and pinch of salt. Cook, stirring briskly to prevent the fish sticking, until it becomes dry. Put the fish over the rice. Hold the nori over the head for a few minutes to crisp, then cut in thin strips and sprinkle over the fish.

Variation
Chrysanthemum rice balls
Kikka nigiri

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 45 minutes
To serve 4

You will need

1 lb. rice; 1/2 lb. sea bream or turbot
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons sake (Japanese rice wine); salt
red food coloring (cochineal); 1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salad oil; chrysanthemum leaves

Cook rice as in fish rice. Cook bream in boiling salted water. Remove skin and bone, wrap in a cloth and rub lightly until the fish flakes. Put 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons sake and pinch of salt into a pan. Add a few drops of cochineal and the fish and cook, stirring briskly to prevent sticking until the fish is dry. Beat the egg, add pinch of salt, 1/2 tablespoon sugar and salad oil. Put into a pan and scramble. Divide the rice into 12 portions and roll into balls. Wring a cloth tightly out of cold water. Divided the fish into 12 portions. Put one portion on the cloth and one ball of rice on top. Gather up the ends of the cloth and squeeze tightly. Make an indentation in the centre of the ball with the finger, then remove the cloth. Fill the hole with scrambled egg, press together. Make other balls in the same way. Arrange on a plate, garnish with chrysanthemum leaves.

© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968 English text © Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1968