Authentic Japanese Cooking: Spring Chirashi Sushi

Our theme for this episode is sushi. We'll be making chirashi sushi, a staple dish for happy days in Japan, whether a cherry blossom-viewing picnic or for the Hinamatsuri doll festival. Chirashi sushi is known for being a particularly colorful and beautiful type of sushi, and the colorful ingredients suit it perfectly. Sea bream and shrimp provide the red and white that are so closely associated with celebrations in Japan, while castella egg, decoratively cut cucumber, and shiitake mushrooms provide beautiful splashes of yellow, green, and dark brown. With a little bit of extra effort, each of these ingredients can be made extra special, too. We'll also be making a soup featuring oboro kombu, an item made with Japan's famous kombu kelp.