COOK-OFF RECIPES:

Jason Ford, from the South Burnett Institute of TAFE, and Mt Tamborine chef Steve Gudzinski (one of the judges) prepared satay chicken sushi as a special display during a break in the 2006 PCA South Burnett Regional Culinary Competition.

This sushi dish also featured in the successful Nuts on the Range function held at the Belltower Restaurant in Kingaroy on February 10, 2006.

Ingredients
Sushi rice:
2 cups sushi rice
4 1/2 cups water
150ml sushi vinegar

Filling:
500g chicken meat (thigh or breast), cut into 10mm thick strips
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp ginger, grated
1 tsp cumin, ground
1 tsp black pepper, ground
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp brown sugar

Sauce:
1 tbsp peanut oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small red chilli, chopped
125ml coconut cream
1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp wasabi paste
1 tbsp soy sauce, salt reduced
10 nori sheets
1 continental cucumber (thin lengthwise strips)
1 carrot (thin lengthwise slices)

Method
To make rice: Wash rice until the water runs clear, drain for one hour. Place rice in a pot with a tight-fitting lid and add water.

Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for a further five minutes. Lower the heat and steam for 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat. Place the rice in a wooden bowl. Run a rice paddle through the rice to gently separate the grains while adding the sushi vinegar. Fan the rice until it reaches room temperature.

To make the sauce: Heat peanut oil in a saucepan over moderate heat, cook chopped onion without colouring. Add the remaining ingredients and mix over heat until smooth and simmering. Remove from heat and put aside until required.

To make filling: place the chicken tenderloins into a bowl and coat with a mixture made of the garlic, ginger, cumin, black pepper, fish sauce and brown sugar. Put in refrigerator for one hour to marinade.

On a medium heated grill plate, cook the chicken skewers for approximately three minutes each side or until cooked through. Remove and allow to cool.

To assemble sushi: Place nori sheets shiny side down on bamboo mat. Spread sushi rice evenly over the seaweed, leaving 3cm at one end free of rice.

Place strips of cooked chicken, a smear of satay sauce, cucumber and carrot strips in a line about 3cm from other end. Starting from the end with fillings lift the bamboo mat and begin to roll the sheet. Wet the strip at the end. Apply gentle pressure to join edges of seaweed. Slice with a wet sharp knife.

Serve with remaining satay dipping sauce.

Serves 10