Food & Wine USA - (04)April 2020

32 APRIL 2020

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WHILE THE CALIFORNIA SUSHI ROLL remains

forever popular, Takuya Umeda, chef-owner

of Umeda in Los Angeles, loves a different

format for showcasing the classic combina-

tion of rice, seaweed, avocado, and crab:

wappa meshi, a dish that originated in

either the Niigata or Fukushima prefecture.

(Japan’s highest-quality rice is grown in

Fukushima.) For Umeda’s version, California-

grown rice is first cooked in a rice cooker

with dashi, sake, sea salt, and ginger water,

then topped with crab and avocado before

steaming in a cedar basket that infuses the

rice with the wood’s aroma (see below).

Garnished with briny roe, nori, cucumber,

and sesame seeds, it’s a dish that celebrates

Californian ingredients through the Japa-

nese lens of washoku, a traditional way of

cooking that emphasizes harmony and the

passing of the seasons. Umeda spent two

decades studying under iconic sushi chef

Nobu Matsuhisa, and while his recipe—at

once a deconstructed sushi roll and a mod-

ern grain bowl—uses perfect ratios and

technique, it’s deeply comforting, delicious,

and a cinch to execute at home. —MARY-

FRANCES HECK

CALIFORNIA BOWLS

RINSE THE RICE

Swirl the rice by hand in changes of cold

water until water is clear; drain the rice.

SEASON THE RICE

Add liquid to the rice in a medium donabe or

pot, then bring to a boil on the stove.

1 2

PREPARE THE TOPPINGS

While the rice rests, cut the toppings into

precise–and beautiful–bite-size pieces.

3 4

COOK THE GRAINS EVENLY

Gently bake the rice to finish cooking it, then

let it rest to ensure the best texture.

ASSEMBLE THE WAPPA BOWLS

Divide rice among wappa baskets; top with

crab and avocado, cover, and steam to heat.

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GARNISH AND SERVE

Top bowls with roe, cucumbers, nori, and

sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

5

Wappa are thin cedar or

cypress baskets used for food

preparation in Japan, as with

this steamed rice dish. They

are also traditionally used as

bento boxes. (From $24,

global.rakuten.com)

Tamanishiki rice, grown in

the Sacramento Valley, is a

short-grain, highly polished

white rice prized for its depth

of flavor and firm-yet-fluffy

texture. (Find it at Asian

supermarkets or on amazon

.com)

Donabe are Japanese clay

pots that cook rice very

evenly, resulting in perfectly

textured grains. (From $80,

toirokitchen.com)

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FW_0420_Handbook.indd 32 FINAL 2/18/20 5:23 PM