From LA to here
Take a gastronomic journey around the Californian city
IF YOU find yourself California dreamin’ but cannot quite make it to the US, the recipe book Los Angeles Cult Recipes might just be an answer for you.
Victor Garnier Astorino offers 100 recipes that capture the spirit of LA, from the Hollywood Hills to Venice Beach.
Tango maki roll
INGREDIENTS:
◗ 100g vinegared sushi rice (see below)
◗ 2 sheets nori seaweed
◗ 1 avocado, sliced very thinly
◗ 1 mango, sliced very thinly
◗ 4 tempura prawns (see insert).
Unagi sauce:
◗ 125ml mirin
◗ 125ml soy sauce
◗ 100g sugar
◗ 1 tbs soft brown sugar
◗ 1 carrot, sliced into rounds
◗ 1 onion, sliced into rounds
◗ 1 daikon (white radish), sliced into rounds
◗ 10g fresh ginger.
Vinegared sushi rice:
◗ 300g white rice
◗ 35ml white rice vinegar (Asian food stores)
◗ 1½ tbs sugar
◗ 1 pinch salt.
(Reference: 6 sushi = 150g rice; 1 maki = 25g rice; 1 tango roll = between 4 and 6 maki).
METHOD: Wash the rice three times in fresh water in a perforated pan. Let the rice rest for 40 minutes in cold water. Drain and let the rice dry for 10 minutes.
Cook, covered, for 10 minutes on a high heat or until steam appears, then for 10 minutes on a low heat.
In a small saucepan on a low heat, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and salt for 5 minutes; the sugar must be dissolved. Mix this liquid into the rice, stirring constantly, until the rice reaches room temperature.
For the roll – The unagi sauce: place all of the sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Keep stirring on a low heat until the texture is thick. Filter through a fine strainer. To assemble the roll: spread the vinegared rice on one of the
nori sheets, placed on a sushi mat covered with plastic wrap on both sides.
Place the other sheet on top, a little above the rice. Make a line of avocado and mango slices across the full width of the nori sheet (reserving four slices of avocado and four slices of mango), 3 cm high and 8 mm thick.
Arrange the prawns two by two, with the tails poking a little outside the sheet of nori on both sides. Roll up with the help of the mat. Cut into four maki and place a sliver of avocado and mango on top. Serve with unagi sauce.