Make Grilled Horse Mackerel Chirashizushi Atop Sushi Rice with Spicy, Sour Twist

By Tomoyo Yamada / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

13:30 JST, August 4, 2024

Chirashizushi is usually an assortment of sashimi and a variety of toppings on top of sushi rice. However, when prepared by a spice expert, the dish has a slight twist.

Yumiko Kozumi is a cookery researcher who owns a restaurant that offers dishes using various spices. In this recipe, she uses aji horse mackerel, which is in season, but Kozumi grills the fish instead of using it raw and mixes spices into the sushi rice. Her chirashizushi is especially appetizing on hot summer days. On top of that, it is safer to eat cooked fish during this season.

“Vinegared rice can be eaten even when you don’t have much of an appetite due to the heat and humidity,” Kozumi said.

The key is to sprinkle the fish with spices such as turmeric and red pepper to remove the smell of the fish. “Along the seacoasts of India and Sri Lanka, fish are seasoned with spices before being deep-fried or used in curry,” she said.

A combination of spiciness and sourness is a staple flavor combination in tropical Asian countries.

To make the sushi rice, Kozumi used red plum vinegar, a highly acidic liquid produced by making umeboshi pickled plums with red shiso leaves. Regular vinegar is fine, but plum vinegar has a more refreshing taste.

Kozumi also likes to mix spices into the sushi rice. Coriander seeds in particular have a citrus-like aroma that goes well with fish dishes, while cumin seeds go well with the shiso’s aroma.

The seeds are toasted whole in a frying pan to keep their texture. They turn bitter if they get burnt, so the seeds “are patiently toasted over low heat to bring out their aroma.” The best timing to turn off the heat is when the surface of the seeds slightly changes color and the texture becomes crispy.

The yellowness of the fried egg stands out atop plum vinegared rice. The sharp taste of grilled horse mackerel spread in my mouth and the toasted whole seeds in the rice were crispy. The dish has a good balance of sourness and spiciness.

“It’s a good meal to perk up your tired family at the end of the day or for a special occasion,” she said. “I hope the dish will spice up everyone.”

Chirashizushi with grilled horse mackerel

Ingredients (Serves 4): For sushi rice

• 2 cups steamed rice (warm)
• 3 to 4 green shiso leaves
• 20 grams red onion
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp white sesame seeds
• 40 milliliters red plum vinegar
• 2 tbsp cane sugar
• ½ tsp red shiso sprinkle seasoning
• For grilled horse mackerel
• 2 aji horse mackerels (2 filets per fish)
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp red chili powder
• For julienned omelet
• 1 egg
• ½ of a green chili (chopped)
• Pinch of red chili powder



Directions:

1. Julienne the shiso leaves and thinly slice the red onion lengthwise.

2. Sprinkle turmeric and red pepper powder evenly on both sides of the horse mackerel filets and leave for 10 minutes. Place the fish on a sheet of parchment paper in a frying pan. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat while turning the fish occasionally. Take them out and allow to cool. Remove small bones and break up the meat into flakes.

3. Put chopped green chili, a pinch of salt, pepper and red chili pepper into beaten eggs and fry the mixture to make a thin crepe. Let the omelet cool before cutting into thin strips.

4. Put whole coriander, cumin and white sesame seeds in a frying pan and toast over low heat.

5. Mix 1 teaspoon salt, red plum vinegar and cane sugar, then pour over warm rice and mix.

6. Add the fish and toasted spices to the sushi rice and sprinkle with shiso seasoning and lightly mix. Top with sliced red onion, the julienned omelet and shiso leaves.

Arranged omelet



This recipe for a paper-thin omelet has green chili to add a South Asian flavor. It is fun to arrange everyday meals with new ingredients.

Chop green chili, red onion and coriander before mixing them all into a beaten egg. Then fry the mixture while adding a pinch of pepper, chili powder and salt to taste.

“Try it with ketchup or on toast,” Kozumi said.