Plating techniques for jumbo cured meat rice

Irregularly shaped plates may not be common, but when used appropriately, they can become a great part of the dish presentation! For this arrangement, I’ve chosen a lotus leaf-shaped plate. You can select three to four points as the base for placing items, creating a sense of balanced beauty. This is a recommended plating style for various snack platters.

Ingredients: salmon, scallops, soy sauce, sticky rice cake, cured meat, etc.

Method: Cut the salmon and scallops into appropriate sizes for later use. Braise the abalone in soy sauce until tender. Steam the sticky rice cake with cured meat beforehand.

Scene 1: The technique of nigiri sushi highlights the refinement of Chinese cuisine.

Plating Method

①Shape the cured meat rice cake into a round ball about the size of half a palm and place them at three corners of a lotus leaf-shaped porcelain plate, forming an equilateral triangle to emphasize balance.

②Arrange salmon, scallops, and abalone on top of the rice cakes to present a Japanese sushi-inspired image using Chinese ingredients, creating a fresh and novel experience.

③Place pre-made tricolor lace cookies next to the rice cakes to enrich the color palette of the plate, with the intricate patterns of the lace cookies embellishing the otherwise simple rice cakes.

④In the center of the plate, place a small pear with a sprig of horsetail inserted into it, and on the far right side, set a small porcelain vessel with decorative flowers and plants. Inside the vessel, place a small amount of dry ice to complement the sushi concept, adding a Zen element to the overall presentation.

Plating Tip: When positioning the rice cakes, ensure equal spacing to create a stable, balanced triangle. Use irregularly shaped lotus leaf plates, and avoid placing the rice cakes on the higher parts of the plate to prevent a precarious appearance.

Scene 2: Shaping Ingredients to Tell a Romantic Story

Special plating is often required for festive occasions. This dish uses asparagus to connect heart-shaped rice cakes, evoking a strong Western style. Adding sugar art enhances the dreamlike atmosphere, making it especially suitable for romantic occasions like Valentine’s Day or wedding anniversaries. For plating, choose a large white square plate, using the clean, minimalist white base to create a fresh, aesthetically pleasing effect.

Plating Method

① Use a heart-shaped mold to shape the rice cake into a heart, ensuring the side with visible cured meat faces upward, then place it on a white plate.

② Cut fresh asparagus into two sections and insert them diagonally on either side of the heart-shaped rice cake, giving the appearance of a pierced heart.

③ In the empty space on one side of the plate, arrange three perilla leaves at equal distances, and place abalone, scallops, and salmon on top. Drizzle each with its corresponding sauce: rose sauce, pickle sauce, and teriyaki sauce.

④ Add sugar art and dry ice to create a dreamy, romantic atmosphere, enhancing the presentation of this dish.

Plating Tip: To make the sugar art, simmer Sprite and sugar until thick, then pull it into strands in ice water. Once lifted out, the strands form the sugar art. The shape of the sugar art is flexible and can be customized by the person plating, making it an excellent decorative element.

Frequently Asked Questions