[Easy Yet Impressive: Grilled Mackerel Pressed Sushi]

When you want something simple yet sure to please your guests, how about this “grilled mackerel pressed sushi”? It looks labor-intensive, but actually takes just minutes to prepare.

All you need is grilled mackerel (available as a prepared dish at supermarkets or convenience stores), cooked rice, sushi vinegar, and just pickled plum and shiso leaves.

One of the main hurdles to making sushi at home is preparing the vinegared rice, right? You need to cook the rice slightly firmer than usual, and getting the seasoning just right for the sushi vinegar is tricky. If you add too much vinegar when mixing it into the rice, it can become sticky and unpleasant. That's where “Sushinoko” comes in handy.

Sushinoko was developed and launched in 1963 by Tamanoi Vinegar in Osaka Prefecture, marking the world's first successful powdered vinegar. It's a fantastic product that lets you make sushi rice simply by mixing it into warm rice—whether freshly cooked, frozen, or even retort pouch rice. Many will recognize its iconic orange packaging, featuring a design that evokes a certain nostalgia, which has remained unchanged for over 60 years.

To make it, quickly mix 1 tablespoon of Sushinoko into 300g of rice (about 1 rice cup). Spread the rice into a mold, line it with pitted ume fruit, arrange several shiso leaves, and top with grilled mackerel. Finally, press down firmly and evenly from above, and it's done in no time.

The key point, in my opinion, is using a mold. While you can easily make it using just a storage container or plastic wrap, the neatly formed shape, beautiful cross-section, and the festive look when served on the table all give the molded pressed sushi the edge. Precisely because you skip the effort of making vinegared rice or grilling mackerel, using a mold seems to significantly boost the points where you get compliments.

The Yamichi Pressed Sushi Box absorbs and releases the steam from the warm rice and ingredients just right, resulting in pressed sushi that isn't sticky. The unvarnished Japanese cypress wood has a subtle, pleasant aroma. Once the mold is removed, it doubles as a sushi board, adding a special touch to the table and making it perfect for celebrations or entertaining guests.

Yamaichi's Pressed Sushi Box
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yamaichi/oshi.html

Reference
https://www.tamanoi.co.jp/company/info/history.html