Photo/Illutration Battleship roll sushi (Chikako Tada)

So, COVID-19? What was that all about?

During the lockdown in India, the atmosphere of fear was so pervasive that whenever someone went jogging, it was posted on my building residents’ What’sApp group.

As a treat for myself during this stressful time, I ordered a delivery of frozen fish from a Japanese vendor.

For the first time in 25 days, I went outside the housing gate to pick up the package. It was only a few steps, but it felt strange—as if I had just returned from outer space.

It was 7 p.m. and the temperature was still 37 degrees. I ran home to avoid melting. The package was frozen solid.

I started with the salmon roe. I was too lazy to defrost it, so I scraped it off with a spoon and mixed it with freshly cooked rice.

It was the best “shaved ikura bowl” of my life.

The next day, I made a parade of “gunkan” (battleship) sushi on a plate with ikura (by now properly thawed) and negitoro.

The taste was unforgettable.

Here is a recipe for a vegetarian version of gunkan sushi that my Indian friend used to make.

The ingredients for gunkan sushi are usually salmon roe, sea urchin and other things that fall off the rice. Wrapping nori sheets around the rice perimeter prevents the sushi toppings from spilling out. Use your own unique toppings.

Ingredients for 2 servings

150 grams short-grain rice / 180 ml water / 1/2 tsp salt / 2 tsp sugar / 1.5 Tbsp vinegar (or lemon juice) / 2 full sheets (21 x 19 cm) nori

●Sweet Stewed Carrots
1/2 carrot (70 g) / 1 Tbsp water / 1 Tbsp mirin (sweet cooking rice wine) / 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

●Okra Seasoned with Sesame Seed Sauce
4 okra pods / 1/2 tsp salt / 1/4 tsp soy sauce / 1/4 tsp sesame oil / 1/4 tsp white sesame seeds

Directions

1.Clean and soak rice for 20 minutes, then put into a cooker. Add water and cook for less time than usual so the rice is firmer. Put hot rice in a big bowl. Stir all ingredients for sushi vinegar. Pour onto a rice paddle as you sprinkle it over the rice. Cool it down immediately with a handheld fan.

2.Peel and shred carrots. Heat all ingredients in a pan on medium heat. After bringing to a boil, cook for 10 minutes at low heat. 

3.Sprinkle salt over okra; press and roll against the cutting board to remove fine hairs on okra surface. Add salted okra to a pot of boiling water and boil for about a minute.

4.Slice okra diagonally and horizontally; place in a bowl. Add soy sauce, white sesame seeds and sesame oil and mix.

5.Nori: Cut each sheet in half and place in a frying pan. Heat them briefly for aroma and crispness. Then, cut each sheet into six long strips.

6.Sushi rice: Divide the sushi rice into 12 sections; shape lightly with wet hands or plastic wrap into a cylinder shape. 

7.Wrap the nori lengthwise around each cylinder of rice. Place the ingredients and six gunkan pieces in each bento box.

8.Arrange plenty of your favorite toppings, like steamed corn, natto or salted kombu kelp. Be colorful!

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Scan this QR code with your smartphone to view the recipe video in English.
https://www.youtube.com/c/PenandSpoon

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This article originally appeared in the July 2, 2023, issue of Asahi Weekly.

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Chikako Tada

Chikako Tada: The author of seven cookbooks, Tada is a Japanese food journalist and editor of Pen & Spoon, a website devoted to food (https://pen-and-spoon.com/). She worked as a newspaper reporter for 12 years before going freelance. She spent two years studying baking in Paris and began making bento around 2016 during her seven-year stay in India. She returned to Japan in 2020 and now lives in Fukuoka.

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