Sushi Salad Rice with Japanese Beef Skewers

Make sushi salad. Soak mushrooms in 1½ cups cold water for 30 minutes. Place mushrooms and soaking liquid in a small saucepan. Add soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of the sugar and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain, then cool slightly and squeeze out excess liquid from mushrooms. Finely chop and set aside.

Meanwhile, rinse rice well under cold water. Drain and place into a medium saucepan. Add 1½ cups water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stand, covered for 5 minutes. Place into a large non-metallic bowl.

Combine rice wine vinegar with remaining tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl. Add to rice and stir with a wooden spoon to break up lumps, then cool rice quickly by fanning for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When rice is cool, cover with a damp tea towel.

Beat egg with 1 teaspoon water. Heat a lightly oiled small non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. Pour in egg and cook until set. Slide onto a board and roll up into a cigar shape. Cool, then cut into thin strips and set aside.

Cook snow peas and carrot in a small saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Reserve a few snow pea slices and carrot sticks for garnish. Add remainder to cooled rice.

Remove the edamame peas from the pods and add to rice mixture, along with chopped mushrooms. Stir to combine. Cover and set aside.

Make beef skewers. Place beef into a large bowl. Combine soy sauce, ginger, caster sugar and rice wine in a small bowl, then pour over beef. Use your hands to rub sauce into beef. Thread onto skewers and grill until medium rare.

Divide sushi rice salad between 4 serving bowls. Top with omelette curls, reserved snow pea slices, carrot sticks, roasted seaweed strips and black sesame seeds. Serve with beef skewers sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.