Alright, so I got this itch to make battera the other day. You know, that pressed sushi thing, usually with mackerel. I figured, why not? Cheaper than ordering out, and I like messing around in the kitchen.
Getting Started – The Rice Drama
First things first, the rice. This is always the tricky part for me. Not burning it, not making it too mushy. I washed it, like, a million times until the water was mostly clear. Then I let it soak for a bit, maybe half an hour. Popped it in the rice cooker and crossed my fingers. While that was doing its thing, I mixed up the sushi vinegar. Just some rice vinegar, a bit of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Warmed it up a tiny bit to get the sugar to dissolve properly. No fancy stuff.
Once the rice cooker beeped, I let the rice steam for another 10-15 minutes. Then, dumped it into a big wooden bowl – well, it’s actually a big salad bowl, but it works. Poured that vinegar mixture over the hot rice and started cutting and folding it in with a spatula. You gotta be quick but gentle, trying to cool it down and get every grain coated without mashing it all up. I fanned it with a piece of cardboard, feeling very traditional, haha.
The Fishy Business
For the fish, I got myself some mackerel fillets. I decided to do a quick cure. Just salted them pretty generously and let them sit for about an hour. Then rinsed the salt off real good and patted them super dry. After that, I marinated them in a bit of rice vinegar for maybe 20-30 minutes. This kinda “cooks” them a bit and gives that classic taste. Then, again, patted them dry. Getting things dry is key, I reckon. Skinned them too, which was a bit fiddly but worth it.
Assembly Time – The Pressing Issue
Now for the main event: the pressing. I actually have one of those wooden battera molds, an oshizushihako. Got it ages ago and barely use it, so this was its time to shine. I wet the inside of the mold with a bit of water so the rice wouldn’t stick like crazy.
Here’s how I layered it:
- First, a layer of rice, spread evenly. Not too thick.
- Then, I placed the mackerel fillets on top, nice and snug. I sometimes put a little shiso leaf or some ginger here, but kept it simple this time.
- Another layer of rice on top of the fish.
Then came the top piece of the mold. I pressed down firmly. You gotta give it some good, even pressure. Not like you’re trying to crush a can, but enough to make it all compact and stick together. I let it sit like that, pressed, for maybe 15-20 minutes. Some folks leave it longer, but I was getting hungry.
The Big Reveal and Eating
Carefully, I unmolded the block of sushi onto a cutting board. It looked pretty good, actually! Nice and rectangular. I wiped my knife with a damp cloth before each cut – this is super important, otherwise, it just drags and makes a mess. Cut it into bite-sized pieces.
And there it was, homemade battera. Tasted pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. The rice was seasoned well, the mackerel had that nice vinegary tang. It wasn’t restaurant-perfect, a bit rustic looking, but satisfying. Definitely worth the effort, and it’s fun to say you made it yourself, you know? Way better than some sad, pre-packaged stuff you might find. Making it again? Yeah, probably. It’s a good weekend project.
