Damirizushi

Sushi is the name for a whole class of Japanese dishes. The Japanese of course, like all, Asians, make a ceremony out of it and make Westerners feels silly in front of them. But here's a simple, two-part sushi, with a rice part called shari and an accompaniment called neta. This variant is called Damirizushi*, and makes enough for 2.

For the Shari:
Sticky Rice - 1 cup, boiled
Vinegar - 4 tablespoons
Sugar -2 tbsp
Salt - 2 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup

Mix the last for ingredients and heat till the sugar and salt dissolve. Spread the boiled rice on a flat pan and wait to cool. Mix in the vinegar mixture, a quarter each time. Mix with a flat wooden ladle, by folding the rice. The rice should not break or get mashed. Let the shari cool till the rice is thick; cool under a fan if necessary.

For the Neta:
4-5 button mushrooms, chopped
1 cup mixed vegetables
2 tbsp vinegar
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp corn flour

Boil the vegetable and mushrooms, and separate the stock. Add venegar, soy sauce, salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Add vegetables, mushroom and corn flour. Simmer till the nearly all the water evaporates. Let cool to room temperature.

Serving:
To serve, take handfuls of the rice and roll into balls or egg-shapes. Place on a plate and flatten the top slightly with a fork. Place the neta over it. Add a bit of parsley over it if you like.

Serve with a smile. Wear a kimono made of Kancheepuram silk if necessary.

*The  author is more skilled at cooks up names for dishes rather than the dishes themselves. Damiri is how the Japanese might say Tamil; Damirizushi simply means Tamil sushi.