SPRING ROLL MENU
Serves 6
Moto’s format is the tasting menu, and we love to give you a taste of your tasting menu. The edible menu is an essential part of the Moto dining experience. Here we created a build-your-own spring roll. Rice paper is soaked in water so the edible paper menu adheres to it. Deep-fried enoki mushrooms provide umami and lemongrass sushi rice forms the basis for the roll. Roasted pineapple puree with layers of cardamom and coriander adds sweetness.
The indoor farm at the restaurant was essential to this dish. This is where it begins, growing the tasting menu with our own hands. House-grown baby radishes are harvested and pickled. Micro mint and basil adorn the menu. This is zero food mile gastronomy in its beta form. If we can grow radishes, carrots, and greens that we serve our guests—what else could we do if we rethought the cubic-inch output of the entire restaurant? I don’t stay in love with all of our dishes—but I still look at this one and say, “Wow.”
SPRING ROLL MENU:
12 sheets rice paper
SUSHI RICE:
60 grams sushi rice
90 grams water
20 grams lemongrass, bulb and tough outer leaves removed
10 grams ginger, peeled
0.5 gram salt
15 grams rice wine vinegar
PINEAPPLE PUREE:
1 pineapple
10 grams olive oil
20 coriander seeds
3 black cardamom pods, split
2 grams chili flakes
200 grams shallots, sliced
100 grams ginger, sliced
35 grams garlic, sliced
1 jalapeño, sliced
10 grams canola oil
20 grams fresh lime juice
1.5 grams turmeric
30 grams sugar
2 grams mustard seeds
0.5 gram xanthan gum (see Sources, here)
PICKLED RADISH:
100 grams rice wine vinegar
50 grams water
50 grams sugar
2 grams salt
6 baby radishes
CRISPY ENOKI MUSHROOMS:
Canola oil for frying
54 grams enoki mushrooms
Salt for seasoning
TO FINISH:
48 micro mint leaves
48 micro basil leaves
30 grams carrots, cut into matchsticks
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
6 sheets edible paper for printing (see Sources, here)
Printer and ink for edible printing (see Sources, here)
SPRING ROLL MENU:
Print your menu onto six 4-by-3-inch sheets of edible paper.
Put 2 inches of water in a deep baking dish large enough to hold the rice paper. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on your cutting board. Dip 1 piece of rice paper in the water for 20 seconds, until it is pliable. Remove from the water, scrape off the excess, and lay it on the plastic wrap. Lay the edible menu on top of the wet rice paper. Dip a second sheet of rice paper in the water for 20 seconds, until it is pliable, and scrape off the excess liquid. Lay the second sheet of rice paper over the menu, lining up the 2 sheets of rice paper with the menu in the center. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top and smooth out any air bubbles. Use a sharp paring knife to cut out the menu, sandwiched in between the rice paper. Discard the excess rice paper and repeat to make the 5 remaining menus. Reserve the menus until you are ready to serve.
SUSHI RICE:
Use the flat side of a chef’s knife to bruise the peeled lemongrass and cut into big chunks that will fit into your rice cooker. Put the rice, water, lemongrass, ginger, and salt into the rice cooker. Cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Once the rice is cooked, open the lid of the rice cooker and remove the lemongrass and ginger. Add the vinegar to the rice and stir well with the rice paddle. Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on your cutting board and spread 20 grams of rice in a 3-inch rectangle on the plastic wrap. Roll the rice in the plastic wrap and then grab the ends of the wrap, twisting to form a uniform rice tube. Repeat 5 times to create a total of 6 rice tubes. Once the rice cools, about 30 minutes, remove the plastic wrap and reserve the tubes in a covered container at room temperature until you are ready to serve.
PINEAPPLE PUREE:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Cut the top and bottom off the pineapple. Stand it up on the cutting board and use a knife to slice off the skin. Quarter the pineapple vertically, lay each piece on the cutting board, and remove the core, leaving you with 4 long slabs of pineapple. Toss the pineapple in a large bowl with the olive oil, coriander seeds, black cardamom, and chili flakes. Line a sheet pan with a silicone mat and lay the pineapple on the mat. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pineapple starts to brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and reserve.
Put the shallots, ginger, garlic, jalapeño, and oil in a medium saucepot large enough to fit the pineapple sticks over medium heat and sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they soften and become aromatic. Add the roasted pineapple to the pot. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, then add the lime juice and turmeric, stirring well to blend. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the sugar, mustard seeds, and xanthan gum. Puree on high speed for 1 minute, until smooth. Strain the Pineapple Puree through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve until ready to serve.
PICKLED RADISH:
Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepot set over high heat and bring to a boil. Put the radishes in a small heatproof container. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the radishes and cover the top with plastic wrap. Let the radishes sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to quick pickle. Remove the plastic wrap, drain, and reserve until ready to serve.
CRISPY ENOKI:
Preheat a deep fat fryer or pot of oil on the stove to 325°F.
Use a knife to remove the roots of the enoki mushrooms. Line a plate with paper towels. Fry the mushrooms for 1 minute or until golden and crispy. Remove from the oil and transfer to the prepared plate. Season with salt and reserve until ready to serve.
TO FINISH:
Use long rectangular plates. Remove the plastic wrap from the Spring Roll Menus and place 1 on the left side of each plate. Line the left edge of each menu with 8 micro mint leaves and line the right side with 8 micro basil leaves. Place 1 roll of Sushi Rice next to the menu, and then add 1 Pickled Radish, 5 grams of carrots, 3 grams of Crispy Enoki Mushrooms, and 10 grams of Pineapple Puree to each plate. Serve immediately.
