How to make it: gunkan maki with corn recipe
This easy ‘battleship’ sushi comes from vegan restaurant Youmiko, in central Warsaw.

Makes: 12 pieces
Takes: 1 hr 20 mins
Ingredients
180g uncooked sushi rice
50ml Japanese rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
2 sheets of sushi nori, cut into 12 long strips, each about 3cm wide
½ tbsp wasabi
1 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
1 fresh corn cob (or 200g cooked sweetcorn)
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
chives, chopped, to serve
1 tbsp sriracha sauce (optional)
Method
1 Cook the rice according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, put the vinegar, sugar and ¼ tsp salt in a small saucepan and set over a medium heat until the sugar and salt dissolve, taking care not to let the mixture come to the boil; this should take around 5 mins. Set aside to cool.
2 Once the rice is cooked, gently fold in the cooled vinegar mix. Fold the rice every 5 mins until lukewarm.
3 Add the corn to a pan of boiling water and cook for 5 mins, then drain. Remove the kernels and discard the cob, then set the corn aside to cool. (If you’re using cooked sweetcorn, skip this step.)
4 Shape a thumb-size amount of rice into an elongated egg shape. Lay it flat and wrap a nori strip around the rice to form a cylinder. Top with a dab each of the wasabi and mayonnaise. Repeat until you’ve used up all the nori and rice.
5 Brush the corn with the teriyaki sauce and scorch with a brulée torch to lightly char (alternatively, char the corn in a hot, dry frying pan for 30-60 secs). Spoon the corn onto the maki and finish with the chives and sriracha sauce, if you like.
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Published in Issue 5 of National Geographic Traveller Food
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