Sushi (Rolls, Pressed & Balls)

Ingredients

• 10 1/2 ozsushi rice, uncooked short-grain
• 3/8 cuprice wine vinegar, most of it seasons the rice; keep a tablespoon back for the hand-dipping water
• 2 tbspsuperfine sugar
• 1 tspsea salt
• 6nori sheets
• 5 3/4 ozcanned tuna, drained well
• 3 tbspJapanese mayonnaise, contains egg
• 1cucumber, cut into long thin batons, seeds removed
• 7 ozsmoked salmon
• 12cooked shrimp, peeled and halved lengthways
• 1/4 cupsoy sauce, to serve, for dipping

Method

1. 1

   Cook the sushi rice to the packet instructions and tip it into a wide bowl. Warm most of the rice wine vinegar with the sugar and salt until dissolved, pour it over, and cut it through the rice with a spatula rather than stirring. Fan it as you go and leave it to come to room temperature.

2. 2

   Lay a nori sheet shiny side down on a bamboo mat. With hands dipped in vinegared water, pat a thin layer of rice over it leaving a clear strip along the far edge. Spread a line of Japanese mayonnaise, then tuna and cucumber batons across the near third, and roll it up tightly using the mat.

3. 3

   Brush the clear edge with water to seal, wrap the roll in plastic wrap and let it settle for a minute, then cut through the film into thick slices with a wet knife.

4. 4

   Line a small loaf pan with plastic wrap and lay smoked salmon over the base in an even layer. Press about three centimetres of rice on top, fold the film over and press down firmly, then turn it out and cut into fingers.

5. 5

   Set a topping — half a shrimp, or a small piece of smoked salmon — on a square of plastic wrap. With damp hands roll a walnut-sized ball of rice, sit it on the topping, gather the film and twist it into a neat round. Serve everything with soy sauce for dipping.