Method
Step 1
To make the coconut rice, add the rice, coconut water, coconut extract, salt and sugar to a saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid, and over a high heat, bring to the boil.
Step 2
Once boiling, place the lid on and turn the heat down so that the water continues to gently bubble, but isn’t boiling, and cook for 10 minutes.
Step 3
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rice sit for a further 10 minutes with the lid still on.
Step 4
Transfer the rice to a shallow tray and chill in the fridge until completely cool.
Step 5
To make the fruit leather ‘nori sheet’, in a small blender, mini chopper or small food processor, purée the mango and sugar together until smooth.
Step 6
Pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl and microwave on full power for 8 minutes. The mixture should have reduced by half and be thick and sticky. The bowl will be extremely hot, so make sure you wear gloves when handling it.
Step 7
Set an 8 inch (20cm) round of parchment paper on a round, flat plate, then spread the mixture over the parchment paper, making sure it’s completely flat so that no areas cook faster than others.
Step 8
Set the plate with the mango purée on it on top of an upturned plate in the microwave. This helps to ensure that the fruit leather will dry out and turn leathery, rather than catch and go crispy.
Step 9
Microwave the puree on 50% power for 4 minutes, until it has dried out with no sticky bits remaining. If it is still a little sticky in places, continue to microwave for 20 seconds at a time, until it is completely dry but still flexible.
Step 10
Remove the fruit leather from the microwave and, using a sharp knife, cut the circle into a 16x16cm square. Keep the offcuts for the ‘nigiri’.
Step 11
Turn the square of fruit leather upside down onto the sushi rolling mat or a 26x26cm square of cling film. Carefully peel off the parchment paper.
Step 12
To make the ‘wasabi’ cream, strip the leaves off the mint springs and add to a small blender or food chopper along with the double cream, lime zest and icing sugar. Blitz together until the mint leaves have broken down and the cream has thickened.
Step 13
Spoon into a piping bag and set aside.
Step 14
To make the chocolate ‘soy’ sauce, put the chocolate and coconut oil in a small heatproof bowl and microwave until melted, then stir in the black food colouring.
Step 15
Either squeeze into an empty small fish bottle, or transfer to a small serving bowl.
Step 16
To assemble, begin by preparing the fruit. Slice 4 thin squares of watermelon and mango for the ‘nigiri’, then neatly slice the remaining fruit into thin, long strips.
Step 17
To make the maki, cover the square of fruit leather with a layer of cooled rice, leaving a strip at the edge furthest away from you without rice.
Step 18
About ⅓ of the way up, on top of the rice, lay strips of the watermelon, mango and kiwi next to each other, along the length of the rice.
Step 19
Using the rolling mat or cling film to help you, tightly roll up the fruit leather to wrap the rice and fruit inside, but do not roll the mat or cling film into the sushi.
Step 20
You should have a log of rice with fruit leather around the outside and fruit string in the middle.
Step 21
Cut 4 x 2cm thick slices, to create maki.
Step 22
To make the nigiri, with the remaining rice, use wet hands to squeeze the rice together to create 4 rectangles.
Step 23
Pipe blobs of the ‘wasabi’ mint cream on top of the nigiri, then top each one with a thin square of watermelon or mango.
Step 24
Wrap each nigiri with a reserved fruit leather strip and sprinkle with a pinch of sesame seeds.
Step 25
To present, pipe a squiggle of ‘wasabi’ cream in the centre of your serving plate along with the chocolate ‘soy sauce’, then arrange the maki and nigiri in a circle.
