Bonito Tekone Sushi

Rinse the rice and soak it in the specified water for 15-30 minutes.

In a saucepan, simmer the cooking sake and mirin to burn off the alcohol. Transfer to a container and stir in soy sauce and umami seasoning if using to make the marinade.

Slice the bonito 5-8 mm thick. Soak the slices in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Make the sushi vinegar: combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and kombu tea powder in a bowl and stir until dissolved.

Prep the herbs: mince the myoga; remove the central stems from the shiso, roll them up, and julienne; slice the small green onions into thin rounds.

For the gari: peel and thinly slice ginger, blanch in boiling water for about 1 minute until tender, drain, cool, and soak in sushi vinegar for 10 minutes.

Cook the soaked rice in a pressure cooker (or rice cooker on quick mode).

Transfer the cooked rice to a hangiri (or large bowl), drizzle the sushi vinegar over the surface, and gently fold using a paddle to mix without crushing. Fan to cool quickly. When close to body temperature, cover and keep warm.

Sprinkle sesame seeds on the sushi rice and arrange the marinated bonito on top. Garnish with myoga, shiso, and green onion, and add gari on the side.

Enjoy as tekone sushi, or pour tea or dashi over it midway through for an ochazuke-style finish. Wasabi or umeboshi are nice toppings.