6 dried shiitake mushrooms
500 ml (2 cups) boiling water
2 cups uncooked Japanese rice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sake
3 teaspoons rice vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
70 g (½ cup) thinly sliced leek, soaked in water
200 g (7 oz) salmon fillets, cleaned and skin removed
4 teaspoons mirin
2 shiso (or basil) leaves, shredded
Nori, lightly toasted and cut in thin strips, to garnish (see page 3)
Roasted sesame seeds to garnish
Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
1 Place shiitake mushrooms into a bowl, cover with 500 ml (2 cups) boiling water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain, squeezing gently to remove any excess liquid, remove tough stalks and slice thinly. Reserve soaking liquid to be added to the rice in Step 2.
2 Wash the rice and place in a rice cooker or large saucepan with soy sauce, sake, rice vinegar, salt and 500 ml (2 cups) of reserved shiitake liquid (add cold water if needed to make 500 ml). Stir to combine.
3 Place leek, salmon and reserved shiitake mushrooms on top of the rice.
4 If using a rice cooker, cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. If not, cover saucepan with a tight fitting lid and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer rice covered for 20–25 minutes or until cooked. The rice is cooked when small steam holes are visible on its surface.
5 Remove lid, sprinkle with mirin and gently flake salmon with a fork. Add shiso and stir lightly to combine.
6 Serve topped with nori and sesame seeds.