Salesforce Culinary TeamThe Chef's Counter

Black Sesame Rice Cakes With Hamachi, Avocado Puree, Yuzu Gel

These canapés feature square black sesame rice cakes topped with creamy avocado mousse, sashimi-grade Ahi tuna, and miso-cured egg yolk for a striking and flavorful bite.

Recipe byJuan Aguilar

Black sesame rice cakes topped with avocado puree, cured hamachi, and yuzu gel
Prep1 hr
Cook45 min
Total1 hr 45 min
Makes88 one-inch portions
DietariesDairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Contains Fish, Contains Sesame

Ingredients

Ingredient quantities shown in U.S. units.

Dashi

  • 3 cups750gWater
  • 1 ½ tsp8gKombu
  • 1 Tbsp15gDried Shitake Mushrooms
  • 2 tsp11gKatsuobushi

Black Sesame Rice Cake

  • ½ cup50gBlack Sesame
  • 2 ¼ cups450gSushi Rice
  • 2 ¾ cups675gDashi
  • 3 Tbsp + 1 tsp50gMirin
  • 1 tsp5gSalt
  • 1 quart1 quartVegetable oil, for frying
  • As neededAs neededRice flour, for coating

Avocado Puree

  • ¾ cup150gAvocado (about 2 medium)
  • Half aHalf aSerrano
  • Half aHalf aLime
  • To tasteTo tasteSalt

Yuzu Gel

  • 3 Tbsp38gSugar
  • ½ cup125gYuzu Juice
  • ¼ tsp2gAgar-Agar

Hamachi

  • 7oz200gHamachi Loin
  • 2 ¾ tsp15gSalt
  • 1 Tbsp15gSugar
  • Half aHalf aLime, zested
  • Half aHalf aLemon, zested

To Assemble

  • To tasteTo tasteTogorashi

Method

Dashi

  1. Prep: Place the water and kombu in a pot (optionally, let it soak for 30 minutes for deeper flavor).
  2. Heat: Slowly bring the pot to a near-boil over medium heat.
  3. Remove Kombu: Take the kombu out just before the water boils to prevent the broth from becoming bitter or slimy.
  4. Add Flakes: Stir in the katsuobushi (bonito flakes) and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer for 1 minute.
  5. Steep: Turn off the heat and let the mixture steep for 5–10 minutes, or until the flakes sink to the bottom.
  6. Strain: Pour the dashi through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a paper towel or cheesecloth. Gently press the flakes to extract the remaining liquid.

Black Sesame Rice Cake

  1. Cook: Combine sushi rice, dashi, mirin, salt, and toasted black sesame seeds in a rice cooker and cook.
  2. Press & Cool: Transfer the cooked rice to a quarter sheet pan (or a 9x9” baking pan), press into an even layer, and let it cool overnight.
  3. Portion: Cut the cooled rice block into 1-inch squares.
  4. Coat & Fry: Toss the squares in rice flour until coated, then deep fry in 350°F oil until crispy, about 2-3 minutes per square.

Avocado Puree

  1. Blend: Combine the avocados, serrano chili, lime juice, and salt in a blender and process until completely smooth.
  2. Transfer: Scoop the smooth puree into a piping bag and seal until ready to use.

Yuzu Gel

  1. Boil: In a saucepan, whisk together sugar, agar agar, and yuzu juice. Bring the mixture to a boil for 1-2 minutes to activate the agar.
  2. Set: Pour the liquid into a shallow container and refrigerate until completely firm.
  3. Blend: Transfer the set gel to a blender and process until it becomes a completely smooth fluid gel.
  4. Transfer: Scoop the smooth gel into a piping bag and seal until ready to use.

Hamachi

  1. Mix: In a small bowl, combine the 15g sugar, 15g salt, lime zest, and lemon zest.
  2. Coat & Cure: Rub the citrus-salt mixture evenly all over the hamachi. Place it in a dish, cover, and refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes.
  3. Rinse & Dry: Gently rinse the hamachi under cold water to remove the curing mixture, then pat it completely dry with paper towels.
  4. Store: Wrap the dried hamachi tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to slice and serve.

To Assemble

  1. Base: Arrange the crispy, fried black sesame rice cake cubes on a serving platter.
  2. Puree: Pipe a small dollop of the avocado puree onto the center of each rice cake.
  3. Hamachi: Place a slice of the cured hamachi on top of the avocado puree.
  4. Gel: Pipe a small dot of the yuzu gel onto or next to the hamachi.
  5. Garnish: Finish each bite with a light sprinkle of togarashi.