Sushi rice

Wash rice very well. Cover with water and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain.Place drained rice in a small heavy saucepan. Cover with measured water and leave to soak for another 30 minutes. Bring to the boil and cook for a minute. Cover tightly, reduce heat to lowest and simmer for 10 minutes.Remove from heat. Don’t remove lid but leave to stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the vinegar, sugar and salt until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.Turn the hot cooked rice into a large shallow dish and gradually fold, don’t stir, the vinegar mixture into the rice. Cool as quickly as possible so that the rice keeps a good shine. It’s a good idea to place the dish on frozen freezer blocks.To serve: One of the simplest ways of serving sushi is Japanese country style. Spoon into wide bowls and top with a few of the suggested ingredients.For topping: Thinly sliced raw tuna, salmon or salmon trout, grilled or smoked chicken, cooked prawns, pickled ginger, sliced avocado, shredded cucumber or Daikon radish, fresh sprouts, blanched mangetout, tenderstem broccoli or baby corn.On the side: Squares of nori to wrap around rice mixture, Japanese soy sauce(shoyu sauce) mixed with wasabi to taste for dipping, pickled ginger, traditionally to refresh the palate between bites or, if you prefer, to add to DIY wraps.