Mazesushi (pictured above)
Mixed, or deconstructed sushi, with all the flavours of its perfectly formed cousin, but none of the fussy assemblage. Use the leftover dashi (fish stock) to make miso soup. Japanese ingredients can be found in Asian supermarkets or at souschef.co.uk.
Serves 4
320g uncooked Japanese rice, rinsed and drained
For the mazesushi
45ml dashi stock (see below)
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ tbsp caster sugar
½ mirin
100g carrots, peeled and julienned
100g mushrooms, finely sliced
12 large shelled raw prawns, deveined
1 tbsp sake
Juice of ½-1 lemon
Nori seaweed, cut into thin short strips, to garnish
For the dashi stock
10cm piece konbu seaweed, washed until no longer salty, then soaked in 600ml water for 30 minutes
25g katsuobushi (dried fish flakes)
For the sushi dressing
100ml rice vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
1-1½ tsp salt
For the kinshi tamago crepes
4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
1½ tbsp caster sugar
2 tsp sake
Salt
Sunflower oil, for frying
1 First, make the sushi dressing. Heat the vinegar in a saucepan. When warm, add the sugar and salt. Bring to the boil, then set aside to cool.
2 Next, make the stock. Set the konbu and its water over a high heat, then just before it boils, remove the seaweed and discard. Add the katsuobushi, bring back to the boil, then immediately turn off the heat. Let it stand until all the flakes have sunk to the bottom of the saucepan. Pour the mix through a strainer lined with kitchen paper and leave to cool, discarding the flakes.
3 For the mazesushi, put 45ml of the dashi stock, soy sauce, sugar and mirin into a pan and heat. When it comes to the boil, add the carrots and mushrooms, then simmer until the carrots are just cooked. Drain and set aside.
4 Put the prawns into a saucepan with a little boiling water mixed with the sake. Simmer for 1 minute then put a lid on and leave to cool. They will gently cook in the heat of the liquid. Set aside.
5 Bring the rice and 400ml water to the boil, cover, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off. Leave for a further 10 minutes without removing the lid.
6 Carefully mix the dressing into the rice. Add the carrots and mushrooms. When cooled, mix in the drained prawns and lemon juice.
7 To make the crepes, combine the eggs, sugar and sake, then season. Mix and strain to ensure an evenly coloured crepe. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and pour just enough egg mix to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. It will cook very quickly and care should be taken to prevent it from burning. Once cooked, set the crepe aside and repeat until all the mixture has been used – makes roughly 8-10 crepes in an 18cm frying pan.
8 Thinly slice the cooked crepes then loosen the pile with your fingers – you will be amazed at how their volume increases.
9 Put the rice mixture on a large serving plate, sprinkle with strips of nori seaweed and pile the crepe strips on top.
Harumi Kurihara, Everyday Harumi (Conran Octopus)
Maqluba (aubergine rice and nut cake)
A savoury upside-down torte from Lebanon, maqluba is as toothsome as it is visually impressive. Use a two-handled pan with low straight sides so that you can easily turn it over.
Serves 4
4 big aubergines, trimmed, cut into 1cm-thick discs
Salt
200g white short-grain rice
670ml boiling water
60g pine nuts
60g blanched almond halves
500g lean lamb mince
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp finely ground black pepper
Oil, for deep frying
Coriander leaves, to garnish
1 Arrange the aubergine slices in salted layers in a colander and leave for about 30 minutes.
2 Put the rice in a bowl and add 300ml of the boiling water. Stir in ½ tsp salt and set aside.
3 Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and saute the pine nuts, stirring regularly, until golden. Remove and drain on a double layer of kitchen paper. Repeat with the almond halves. Cook the meat in the same butter, stirring constantly until it loses all trace of pink. Remove from the heat, season with cinnamon, allspice, pepper and salt to taste and mix in the pine nuts, reserving 1 tbsp for the garnish. Set aside.
4 Rinse the aubergine in cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Deep fry the aubergine on both sides over a medium heat. Remove and drain on several layers of kitchen paper.
5 Arrange two-thirds of the aubergine in a layer on the bottom and against the sides of your pan, then spread with half the meat in an even layer. Drain the rice, then spread it over the meat. Cover this with the remaining meat and finish with a layer of aubergines. Season the remaining 370ml of water with cinnamon, pepper and salt. Bear in mind that this seasoning is just for the rice. Gently add it to the pan, cover and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and the water has been absorbed.
6 Remove from the heat, wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel, and put it back on the pan. Leave to sit for about 10 minutes.
7 To serve, you need to turn the cake over on to a serving plate. Wearing oven gloves, remove the lid, take a round serving platter and turn it over on to the top of the pan. Holding the plate down firmly with one hand, slide the pan slowly over the edge of your work surface so that you can hold the bottom of the pan with your other gloved hand. Pick it up and quickly turn it upside down. Slide it back on to your surface and slowly lift the pan off to uncover the cake. Garnish with the nuts and coriander and serve with yoghurt.
Anissa Helou, Lebanese Cuisine (Grub Street)
Bay and honey rice pudding
A marvellously unctuous sweet classic that requires neither cream nor sugar.
Serves 4
120g pudding rice
4 tbsp runny honey
1 litre whole milk
4 bay leaves
4 tbsp jam, to serve (optional)
1 Heat the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3. Put the rice, honey, milk and bay leaves into a casserole or oven dish. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring frequently.
2 Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, until the top has a nice golden skin and the rice is done.
3 Leave for 15 minutes, then serve with a little jam, if you like. Discard the leaves as you go.
Justin Gellatly, Bread, Cake, Doughnut, Pudding: Sweet and Savoury Recipes from Britain’s Best Baker (Fig Tree)
Rice with ricotta
It’s the simplicity that makes this so good. A light and comforting dish of rice, fresh cheese, herbs and zest.
Serves 2-3
225g fresh ricotta, at room temperature
4 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp chopped basil leaves
2 tsp chopped marjoram leaves
Zest of ½ small lemon, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste
300g arborio rice or, if unavailable, long-grain rice
75g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 Combine the ricotta, herbs and zest. Season to taste, then set aside for 30 minutes or so to allow the flavours to develop.
2 Cook the rice in salted water until al dente. Reserve 120ml of the cooking water. Drain the rice, leaving some moisture clinging to it, then transfer to the serving bowl. Toss with the butter to coat the grains. Add the ricotta mixture and toss again. Serve with grated parmesan cheese at the table.
Viana La Place, Verdura (Grub Street)
Sticky rice and black sesame cake with rosewater syrup
As pretty as peonies, these Chinese teacakes use glutinous rice, a marvellous ingredient with a misleading name. This gluten-free grain is the base for many Asian sweets and can be found in Asian supermarkets or online at souschef.co.uk.
Makes about 20
100g sesame seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
450g white glutinous rice, rinsed
170g caster sugar
1½ tbsp lard
275g black sesame paste
For the rosewater syrup
230g caster sugar
3 tsp rosewater, or to taste
1 Grease the base and sides of a 20cm square tin with a removable base. Evenly sprinkle with half the seeds.
2 Combine the rice and 750ml water in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to very low (use a simmer pad if necessary — the rice should be only just simmering) and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed. Add the sugar and 80ml water, stir, then cover and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, or until very thick. Stir in the lard, then set aside to cool.
3 When the rice is cool enough to handle, grease your hands and spread half of it into the tin in an even layer, working with one handful of rice at a time. Smooth the sesame paste over the rice, then layer the remaining rice to form an even layer on top of this. Smooth it out with a lightly oiled spoon. Sprinkle the remaining seeds on top of the rice cake, pressing them lightly so they stick. Leave the rice cake to cool to room temperature.
4 To make the syrup, combine the sugar and 170ml water in a saucepan. Slowly bring to a simmer for 7–8 minutes, or until thickened slightly, then set aside to cool. Stir in the rosewater. Take the cake out the tin and cut into slices or diamonds. Serve with the rosewater syrup spooned over the top.
Leanne Kitchen and Antony Suvalko, The Real Food of China (Hardie Grant)
Lemon rice with peanuts and curry leaves
Gently spiced rice with mustard seeds and smoky curry leaves, laced with caramelised shallots and notes of citrus. You can eat it with a little pickle, a tamarind based rasam or with anything really. Curry leaves are hard to find unless you’re near an Asian shop or a big supermarket, but they’re easy to buy online.
Serves 4
300g basmati rice, washed in cold water until it runs clear, then left to soak for 20 minutes
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
3 tbsp unsalted, red-skinned peanuts
2 green chillies, slit lengthways
20 curry leaves
4 shallots, halved and finely sliced
½ tsp turmeric
Juice of 1 lemon (around 35ml)
1¼ level tsp salt
1 Cook the rice for 10 minutes in boiling water, then drain in a colander. Cover with a clean tea towel and set side.
2 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and when hot, add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the curry leaves, peanuts and chillies and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
3 Add the shallots. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until soft, caramelised and sweet. Set the heat to low, add the salt, turmeric and lemon juice, stir then add the rice. Fold the lemon, shallot and curry leaf mixture through the rice until it’s well mixed.
Meera Sodha, Made in India, Cooked in Britain (Fig Tree)
Rice and courgette gratin
Butter, cheese, rice and slow-cooked courgettes – Elizabeth David is a master at making the simplest of ingredients sing.
Serves 4
500g courgettes, washed, trimmed and grated
100g butter plus a little extra for finishing the dish
2 tbsp flour
½ litre milk
3 tbsp parmesan or gruyère
4 tbsp fine-quality rice
Salt, black pepper and nutmeg
1 Fry the courgette gently, sprinkled with a pinch of salt, in 1 tbsp olive oil and a knob of butter. Cook, covered, gently for 5 minutes.
2 Melt the remaining butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for just under a minute, then add the milk a dash at a time. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until thick and glossy. Season and add a little nutmeg. When it is well cooked and smooth, stir in the courgettes.
3 Cook the rice in salted water, keeping it a bit firm. Combine the courgette mix with the rice and smooth into a buttered gratin dish. Sprinkle with parmesan and a few knobs of butter. Cook at 160C/325F/gas mark 3 at the top of the oven for 15-20 minutes, or 30 minutes if the whole mixture has been heated up from cold. The top should be lightly golden and bubbly.
Elizabeth David, On Vegetables (Quadrille)
Crab, squid and saffron arancini with chilli aioli
Much like fishcakes and patties, this is a wonderfully versatile recipe to have in your arsenal – risotto balls can be flavoured with whatever you have to hand. Serve fresh from the fryer, with a homemade mayo, as here, for extra points.
Makes 24
200g arborio rice
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
½ onion, finely chopped
500-600ml fish stock
100ml white wine
2 pinches saffron threads
100g cleaned squid, chopped into small pieces
100g picked white crab meat
100g cooked mussel meat, fresh or tinned, chopped into small pieces (400g shell-on mussels)
Juice of half lemon
1 tsp chopped fresh chilli
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Olive oil, for cooking
Salt and black pepper
For coating and frying the arancini
2 beaten eggs
2 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp breadcrumbs
2 litres vegetable oil
For the aioli
1 large egg yolk
½ garlic clove, peeled, very finely chopped
1 small tsp dijon mustard
100ml vegetable oil
White wine vinegar, to taste
Lemon juice, to taste
Salt and black pepper
1 tsp chopped fresh chilli
1 To make the aioli, whisk the yolk with the mustard and garlic, then slowly add the oils to emulsify. As the oils incorporate into the yolk, you can speed up the process. When all the oil has been added, season, then add lemon juice and vinegar to taste. Stir in the chilli and set aside.
2 Pour the fish stock into a saucepan, bring to a simmer, then add the saffron. This should infuse the stock with a saffron flavour and turn it yellow.
3 Over a medium heat, fry the onions, garlic and chilli in oil. Cook until softened, but not coloured. Add the rice, season, with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Then add the wine and reduce rapidly over the rice.
4 Gradually add the stock, stirring the rice as you go to ensure it doesn’t stick. Continue until it has all been used and the rice is al dente. Stir in the seafood, parsley and lemon juice to incorporate . Check the seasoning. The rice should be quite thick and sticky. Transfer it to a plate or tray to cool down.
5 When cooled, mould the rice into ping pong-sized balls, then roll in the flour, followed by the egg and then breadcrumbs. Chill the balls in a fridge for at least an hour before frying.
6 Heat the oil in a fryer or deep pan to 170C/340F, or until a piece of bread turns golden when dropped in. Fry the arancini in batches until crisp and golden. Drain the fried arancini on clean kitchen towel before serving with the aioli for dipping on the side.
Ben Tish, Salt Yard: Food and Wine from Spain and Italy (Piquillo)
Cop’s chicken risotto
This risotto alla sbirraglia is a great example of why a good risotto is simply unbeatable: creamily rich and full-bodied in flavour.
Serves 6–8
1 whole medium chicken, jointed, or 8 large chicken thighs on the bone
4 tbsp sunflower oil
100ml white wine
300g carnaroli or other risotto rice
1–1.2 litres beef, chicken or vegetable stock
50g parmesan, finely grated
30g salted butter
For the sofrito
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 large white onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
8 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
1 sprig of rosemary
6 slices pancetta or bacon, unsmoked, diced
1 First, make the sofrito: fry the veg in the olive oil over a low heat with the garlic, rosemary and pancetta for 10 minutes, or until the veg is soft. Meanwhile, season the chicken. In another pan, fry it in the sunflower oil until the skin is crisp and golden all over. Transfer the chicken into the softened sofrito.
2 Add the wine to the chicken and sofrito; allow it to evaporate for 2 minutes then pour in 1 litre of the stock. Bring to the boil and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
3 Pour in the rice and stir through. Continue to cook, stirring and moving the chicken and rice around the pan every now and then. As the stock is absorbed add more as necessary to loosen it. It should be a flowing, creamy consistency. This will take around 25–30 minutes.
4 When the rice and chicken are both cooked, take the pan off the heat. Mix in the parmesan and butter.
5 Remove from the heat and let it stand, covered, for a few minutes. Serve in warm bowls.
Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi, Venice (Hardie Grant)
Jamaican–style rice and peas
Jerk chicken might often steal the show in Caribbean cooking, but it would be remiss to overlook this humble classic – it’s exactly the kind of delectable home comfort you’ll come back to time and time again.
Serves 4
8 dried shrimps
1 tbsp groundnut oil
1 tbsp ghee or salted butter
1 large red onion
2 garlic cloves
1 Scotch bonnet chilli, halved, seeded, finely sliced
2 bay leaves
400g green pigeon peas
200g easy-cook long-grain rice
400ml coconut milk
300ml chicken stock
1 tsp West Indian pepper sauce
Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
Salt and black pepper
1 Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add the dried shrimps. Reduce the heat, simmer for 10 minutes then drain the shrimps and set aside.
2 Heat the groundnut oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the ghee or butter and melt. Then add the onion, garlic and chilli and fry for about 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the dried shrimps, bay leaves, peas and rice, and season.
3 Pour in the coconut milk and stock, then add the pepper sauce and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, give the contents of the pan a good stir, then cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Serve in medium-size bowls, and garnish with coriander leaves.
Jonathan Phang: The Pepperpot Club (Hardie Grant)
