Recipe

Ingredients (Yield: 4 servings)

1 ripe pineapple
1 large strawberry
1 1/4 cups pomegranate juice
1/4 cup Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce
2 ounces sugar
8 ounces sushi rice
2 cups coconut milk
2 ounces dried shredded coconut
4 mint sprigs

Instructions

Cut off top and bottom of pineapple; peel by standing it upright and slicing down sides. Remove eyes with paring knife. Slice a very thin ring of pineapple, cut into quarters and place in dehydrator to dry. Cut remaining pineapple in half; cut into sixteen 1/2- x 1/2- x 2-inch batons and 2 tablespoons brunoise. Cut strawberry into brunoise and mix with pineapple brunoise; set aside.

In 9-inch pan, bring pomegranate juice, soy sauce and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add pineapple batons; simmer about 7 minutes or until pineapple is tender but not falling apart. Remove pineapple; continue to simmer liquid until reduced to about 1/2 cup syrup.

Wash rice. In saucepan, bring rice, coconut milk and coconut to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 to 12 minutes or until rice is tender and no liquid remains. Keep warm.

For each serving, place 2 pineapple batons in center of plate. With spoons, make 2 rice quenelles; place on top of pineapple at right angles. Place 2 more pineapple batons on top of rice, facing in same direction as first two, then top with another rice quenelle. Garnish with 1 piece dried pineapple and 1 mint sprig. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon pineapple and strawberry brunoise.

Recipe by Astrid Auchmuty, Kikkoman/Johnson & Wales Imaginational Recipe Challenge Student Finalist

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