Mochi Pizza with Wasabi, Tuna, and Shiso

Mochi Pizza with Wasabi, Tuna, and Shiso

The classic pie with a Japanese twist

By

Servings: 1

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 mochi rice cakes (about 150g), kirimochi or kakumochi variety
  • Neutral cooking oil
  • Olive oil, for topping
  • 1/2 tsp wasabi paste
  • 50g fresh tuna, sliced very thin
  • Tsukudani kombu, to taste
  • 2 shiso leaves, finely sliced
  • Japanese mayonnaise, to taste

PREPARATION

  1. Adjust the amount of mochi you use depending on the size of your pan and how thin you’d like your pizza.
  2. Slice mochi in half, horizontally. Heat a little oil in a 25-cm saucepan over a low heat. Lay in mochi pieces in  rectangle shapes, making sure the edges are touching. As the mochi heats, it will start to melt.
  3. Using a spatula, continually press down the mochi so that it melts together.
  4. Once melted, add 50 ml water, cover with a lid, increase heat to medium-low, and cook for a couple of minutes, until softened.
  5. Remove lid and use a spatula to push the base out to the size and shape of the pan. Once slightly browned, flip and cook on the reverse side, being careful not to burn the base.
  6. Remove the base, brush with olive oil then wasabi, and then lay over the tuna slices.
  7. Return the pizza to the pan over a low heat for about a minute. You want to warm the tuna a touch, without cooking it.
  8. Remove from the pan and sprinkle kombu and shiso. Top with a little Japanese mayonnaise and serve immediately. If you prefer your base a little toastier, pop it into a microwave oven instead of the frying pan after adding the tuna, with the oven set to heat from under.