Sabazushi – mackerel sushi wrapped in kombu
- Makes 16
- 2 hours
This type of sabazushi recipe is a variation of the sushi known as battera, where rice is pressed into a mould and topped with an even layer of marinated mackerel and sheets of shiraita-konbu, a kind of shaved seaweed that, when soaked, results in a silky-smooth, translucent layer with a unique flavour. This variant is rolled using a bamboo mat instead, a challenging form that will put your skills to the test. You will only need 200g sushi rice for this recipe – use any excess to make Hideki's tamago nigiri or salmon futomaki.
First published in 2018
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Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Marinated kombu
- 4 sheets of shiraita-konbu, (shaved kombu seaweed) measuring 4x12cm
- 108g of rice vinegar
- 24g of sugar
Sushi rice (makes approx. 500g)
- 250g of sushi rice
- 300ml of water
- 1 small piece of kombu, approx. 3x3cm
Sushi vinegar (for 500g cooked rice)
- 30ml of rice vinegar
- 8g of salt
- 18g of sugar
- 1 small piece of kombu, approx. 3x3cm
To cure the mackerel
- 2 large mackerel fillets
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- 1 tbsp of salt
Mackerel marinade
- 40g of sugar
- 270g of rice vinegar
- 41g of usukuchi soy sauce, (light soy sauce)
- 5g of kombu
To serve
- 20g of pickled myoga, or sushi ginger
- 16g of tobiko
- nasturtium leaves
SAVE RECIPE
Equipment
- Bamboo sushi mat
Method
1
To begin, marinate the kombu sheets. Mix together the vinegar and sugar, place in a bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Submerge the kombu sheets in the mixture and leave to marinate overnight
- 4 sheets of shiraita-konbu, (shaved kombu seaweed) measuring 4x12cm
- 24g of sugar
- 108g of rice vinegar
2
To make the sushi rice, place the rice in a bowl and cover with water. Stir the rice using your fingers until the water turns a milky white colour. Drain in a colander and return the rice to the bowl. Repeat this washing and draining process four or five times, until the water is clear
- 250g of sushi rice
3
At this point, place the rice in the bowl, cover with water and leave to soak for 20 minutes
4
Drain the rice and add to a pan with the 300ml of water and small piece of kombu. Place a lid on the pan and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat and cook for another 20 minutes
- 1 small piece of kombu, approx. 3x3cm
- 300ml of water
5
While the rice is cooking, make the sushi vinegar by placing all the ingredients in a small pan and heating until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Keep the vinegar warm
- 1 small piece of kombu, approx. 3x3cm
- 30ml of rice vinegar
- 8g of salt
- 18g of sugar
6
When the rice is cooked, place it in a mixing bowl. While it and the sushi vinegar are still hot, add the sushi vinegar to the rice, cutting into the rice using the side of the paddle to avoid breaking too many grains
7
When the vinegar is incorporated, transfer the rice to a plate or tray, top with a damp sheet of kitchen paper and set aside to cool
8
To prepare the mackerel, place each fillet skin-side down on the board. Run your finger down the centre of the fillet – you should be able to feel the bones protruding down the middle. Make an incision down each side of the line of bones (taking care you don't cut through the skin)
9
Lift the strip of bony flesh away from the fillet and discard
10
Sprinkle the fillet with sugar and set aside for 20 minutes until nice and firm. Wash the fillets and dry with kitchen paper. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 30 minutes, then wash and dry again with kitchen paper
- 1 tbsp of salt
- 2 large mackerel fillets
- 1 tbsp of sugar
11
Stir together the marinade ingredients until incorporated in a shallow dish and add the mackerel fillets. Leave to marinate for 1 hour
- 5g of kombu
- 40g of sugar
- 270g of rice vinegar
- 41g of usukuchi soy sauce, (light soy sauce)
12
Remove the mackerel from the marinade and pat dry
13
Pinch the skin from the head side and very gently pull away from the fillet
14
Flatten out the fillet by trimming the top of it, keeping your knife parallel to the chopping board. You will use these trimmings to fill any gaps in the roll
15
Place on a bamboo mat lined with cling film, skin-side down. Use the trimmings to fill any gaps so you have a nice even rectangle of mackerel flesh
16
Wet your hands and take approximately 100g of rice. Place on top of the mackerel, evenly spreading it out. Roll the mackerel and rice into a tight roll, keeping the mackerel in place
17
Lay two of the marinated kombu sheets over the top to cover the mackerel and sides of the rice, once again pressing down with the sushi mat
18
Slice the roll into eight pieces and place on a serving plate, wiping the knife clean and wetting it with water after each slice. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make another roll
19
Peel the myoga, chop into small pieces and use to garnish the sushi. Add small mounds of tobiko, then finish with nasturtium leaves
- nasturtium leaves
- 16g of tobiko
- 20g of pickled myoga, or sushi ginger
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