When it comes to martial arts few countries have introduced more disciplines to the world than Japan. Just think of aikido, judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, kendo, ninjutsu, shooto and even sumo wrestling, to name just a few. And if there’s one thing the Japanese love aplenty, apart from fighting one another, it’s sushi.

And let’s not forget that our oriental cousins tend to live longer on average than any other nationality, according to the World Health Organization. After a full week of training maybe it’s time to relax and enjoy some sushi with fresh fish, and have some fun making it from scratch with your girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, wife or teammates.

So it’s with all of this in mind that I’ve decided to bring you a recipe for some delicious sushi. Now most people when they hear the word sushi automatically think it means raw fish, but they’re wrong. Sushi is actually boiled vinegared rice, which is then accompanied, more often than not, by a variety of uncooked seafoods; and what most people think of as sushi is actually called sashimi.

Anyway, there endeth the cultural lesson, and now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.

SUSHI OPTIONS

As I said, you can have anything from the testes of sea urchins to raw eels with your sushi, but for this recipe I’ll be keeping it simple and combining it with fresh tuna and salmon.

And the reason for that is: not only are they a great source of lean protein and packed to the gills with nutrients like vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium and iron, they also taste great.

But what has nutritionists and scientists really excited about tuna and salmon is the high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids they contain, which have all kinds of health benefits from warding off depression and cognitive decline to reducing inflammation and the risk of heart disease.

The evidence is so good that the American Heart Association recommends we eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids like tuna and salmon twice a week.

So hopefully, if you follow this recipe on a regular basis you’ll both eat well and live long.

CHILLI

Eating just one gram of chilli reduces cravings for salty, sweet and fatty foods, and increases energy expenditure.

BELL PEPPERS

Bell peppers are jam-packed with fiber, as well as vitamins C and E.

MANGO

Research has shown antitoxidant compounds in mango protect against colon and prostate cancer.

INGREDIENTS:

1: Sushi rice

2: Rice vinegar

3: 1 fillet of tuna

4: 1 salmon loin

5: A few shrimps/scampi

6: ½ leek

7: 1 red bell pepper

8: 1 yellow bell pepper

SUSHI METHOD

1: Boil rice in a rice cooker to get the best result. When ready cool it down by putting the rice in a cool bowl. As soon as it gets to room temperature add rice vinegar and blend it gently. Sample until you get the vinegar taste you like. Cool it down in the fridge for half an hour, and then it should be sticky and ready to be shaped into squares or any design you want.

2: Tuna and salmon should be sliced very thinly so it will be easy to hang on to the rice.

3: Add boiled shrimps/scampi to the rice.

4:Garnish with the thin sliced bell peppers.

TUNA TARTARE

Alternatively, when you have a fine tuna fillet in house you can always make tuna tartare (finely chopped and served raw). Chop the tuna fish and put it on the plate, then chop the bell peppers and leek in to small pieces and garnish with my special sauce...It’s very easy to make and tastes delicious.

THE METHOD:

1: 1 mango

2: 1 chilli

3: 2 spoons of mayo (remember, this is a cheat treat. If you are in training camp replace with fresh cilantro instead.)

4: Use a hand mixer/blender to produce a thick sauce.