Chirashi Sushi

Place the shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with fresh warm water with a pinch of sugar to soften them.

Wash the age with hot boiling water to remove excess oil.

Wash the kampyo lightly and discard the water.

Soak the kampyo in a small saucepan of water for a while, then bring to a boil and cook about 10 minutes or until soft.

Remove the kampyo from the water and reserve the water.

Cut the carrot into a fine julienne.

Cut the yude-takenoko into a fine julienne.

Drain the shiitake mushrooms and reserve the water, squeeze out most of the water, and cut into fine strips.

Remove the tips and strings from the peas, blanch in boiling salted water for about 30 seconds, and drain.

Cut the peas into small strips.

Place 1 tablespoon rice vinegar in about 2 to 3 cups water, peel the renkon, cut in half lengthwise, slice finely, and place immediately in the vinegar water.

Put water and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar in a saucepan, bring to a boil, add renkon and boil about 10 minutes until the surface becomes transparent.

While the renkon cooks, mix 3 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl, adding a little water if too sour.

Drain the renkon and add it to the vinegar mixture while still hot, then leave to soak, stirring occasionally.

Wash the rice gently with hands, discard the water, and repeat at least 3 to 4 times until the water is clean.

Drain the rice and transfer to the steamer bowl.

Add water up to a little below the 3 mark (3 gou), add 2 tablespoons sake and the konbu.

Place the bowl in the steamer and let the rice rest about 30 minutes before turning the switch on.

Steam for about 30 minutes, then wait about 10 minutes before opening the steamer.

Whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt in a small bowl.

Grease a 6 inch crepe skillet with 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil, wipe off the excess, and heat on medium.

Pour a small quantity of egg into the skillet and tilt it to distribute the egg uniformly.

Turn the crepe over to cook the top surface, then transfer to a board.

Repeat until all the egg is used to make about 5 to 6 crepes, piling them on top of each other.

Cut the crepes into large strips, pile them, then cut into a very fine julienne.

Place 5 tablespoons sake, 2 1/2 tablespoons mirin and a pinch of salt in a bowl and bring to a boil.

Add the shrimp and remove from heat as soon as they turn red.

Grill the anago briefly, transfer to a cutting board and chop.

Remove the kombu from the rice and transfer the rice to a bowl.

Add the vinegar mixture to the rice with a cutting motion, not stirring, while fanning to cool the rice.

Combine the vegetable mixture.

Shell the shrimp and slice them in half.

Transfer the rice to a serving dish.

Top the rice with the renkon slices, shrimp, anago, kinshi tamago, kinusaya, ikura and kizammi nori.

Serve the chirashi sushi.