Jdb Recipe

Rinse and cook rice

Place the short-grain rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water, swirling with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear (about 3–4 rinses). Drain 10 minutes. Transfer rice to a medium saucepan, add 360 ml water, cover, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, lower heat to the lowest setting and cook covered for 12–14 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes.

Season rice

While rice rests, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl; stir until dissolved. Transfer cooked rice to a large shallow bowl or wooden sushi oke if available. Gently fold the vinegar mixture into the rice with a cutting motion (do not mash) until evenly coated and slightly glossy. Fan the rice or let cool to near room temperature (about 15 minutes) before assembling so it holds shape.

Prepare tuna filling

Place diced sashimi-grade tuna in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, soy sauce, sesame oil, sliced scallions, and toasted sesame seeds. Gently fold to coat the tuna evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a tiny pinch of salt or a drop more soy if needed. Keep chilled until ready to assemble.

Prep garnishes

Cut nori sheets into 8 strips if not already done. Thinly slice cucumber and drain pickled ginger so it isn't overly wet. If using microgreens or shiso, rinse and dry gently.

Assemble slots (final assembly)

With slightly moistened hands, take about 3 tablespoons of seasoned rice and form it into a compact oval or rectangular block (depending on presentation) about 2 inches long — repeat to create 8 rice 'slots'. Lightly press a strip of nori around each rice slot (optional) or place nori beneath each rice block. Top each rice slot with about 1.5 tablespoons of the tuna mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Garnish each with a sliver of cucumber, a small amount of pickled ginger, a dot of wasabi if desired, and a sprinkle of microgreens or additional sesame seeds.

Serve

Arrange the assembled slots on a platter. Serve immediately with extra soy sauce and wasabi on the side. Leftover tuna mixture can be kept chilled up to 24 hours; assembled slots are best eaten within 1 hour to keep nori crisp and rice texture optimal.