Battleship sushi
gunkan maki
Sushi toppings such as fish roe and oysters simply will not stay on the sushi rice without some form of containment. This type of sushi is called gunkan maki, meaning “battleship roll,” because the strip of nori seaweed that keeps the topping in place gives it a battleship shape. The nori absorbs the moisture from the rice and the topping and becomes soggy if left too long, so make this type of sushi last if you are making a selection.
MAKES 18 pieces | PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes, plus sushi rice and ingredient preparation
INGREDIENTS
For the vinegared water
2–3 tbsp rice vinegar | 1 cup water
For the sushi
3 sheets nori seaweed | 1⁄2 quantity sushi rice | wasabi paste | 4oz (120g) flying fish roe, (can be dyed red, green, or natural colored) | 6 oysters | 2oz (60g) salmon roe
METHOD
1 Mix the ingredients for the vinegared water in a small bowl and set aside. Put the 3 sheets of nori on top of each other and cut them into 6 equal-sized strips about 1in (2.5cm) wide and 6in (15cm) long.
2 Wet your hands in the vinegared water. Shape about 1 tbsp sushi rice into an oblong-shaped ball. Wipe one of your hands dry and pick up a strip of nori. Wrap it around the rice ball with the smooth side of the nori facing outward.
3 Crush a grain of cooked rice at the end of the strip of nori so that it sticks the nori down where it overlaps to form a ring around the rice.
4 Dab a little wasabi paste on the rice and flatten the rice slightly.
5 Spoon the topping onto the rice, keeping it inside the ring of nori.
Battleship sushi