When she throws a party, Saedene Ota of Waikapu prepares a few sushi hors d’oeuvres and claims they are usually the most popular dish. She’s been making her “tower of sushi” for more than 20 years. Eaters of all ages — even her children Zack and Xia, who attend Baldwin High School — like this colorful dish.

Ota was born on Oahu but raised on Maui and is a proud Baldwin graduate. She owns the strategic branding and design company saedesign, with offices on Maui and Oahu.

Active in the community, Ota serves on the boards of Central Pacific Bank, the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce, Maui’s Nisei Veterans Memorial Center, the Maui Economic Development Board and the Maui Health Foundation board.

The only specialized tool you’ll need to make her signature sushi tower is a section of white plastic pipe that is usually seen in plumbing or the garden instead of a kitchen.

The mold for her sushi tower is a 4-inch-diameter PVC pipe that is cut into a 4-inch length. The plastic pipes are available at any hardware store, but Ota just asks husband Ken, who owns Pacific Pipe in Kahului, to bring some home. Of course, be sure to use a new, clean pipe; do not use pipes that have been employed for yard or industrial purposes.

She fills the pipe mold with prepared sushi rice to about 2 inches high. Using a spoon, she packs down the rice so it will keep its shape and look good when the mold is removed.

Then Ota adds the topping ingredients. You can pick whatever you like. For a California-type roll, she layers on tobiko (flying fish eggs) and a mixture of shredded imitation crab, mayonnaise, wasabi and sesame oil, and tops it with diced cucumbers, avocado and furikake (seasoned seaweed flakes).

There are no rules, so add fillings in any order you like.

While removing the mold by pulling up, Ota gently holds the filling down using a large spoon. Then she artistically places sliced ripe avocado and sprinkles on furikake to garnish.

Each sushi tower feeds about four to six people as an appetizer. For a large party, Ota will place three towers in different spots, each with a spoon to scoop the sushi onto small Korean-style nori (seaweed rec­tangles). You can buy any type of nori, but Ota prefers the Korean variety as it is crisp and flavored with sesame oil.

Fillings can vary; you can use poke, daikon sprouts, takuan (pickled daikon radish), natto, canned tuna, unagi (eel), ume, ume paste, shiso flavored rice or shiso leaves. The layers of color make for a beautiful dish and conversation starter.

“Be creative and make different towers according to your taste to create a fun and groovy pupu,” Ota said.

Saedene Ota’s Sushi Tower

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup rice vinegar

Salt to taste

3 cups uncooked rice

8 ounces shredded imitation crab

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon wasabi

1 teaspoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons tobiko (flying fish roe)

1 Japanese cucumber, diced

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

Furikake for topping, or substitute with toasted sesame seeds

Korean nori

In a small saucepan, heat sugar and vinegar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add hot sugar-vinegar mixture to hot cooked rice. Fan to cool the rice and mix with a rice paddle using cutting motions so as not to mash the rice. Taste and add salt if needed. You might not need to add all the mixture, depending on your preferences. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix shredded imitation crab, mayonnaise, wasabi and sesame oil.

Place the PVC mold on the serving dish. Add about half of the rice. This should fill about half the mold. Pat down with a spoon so the rice is firm. Sprinkle half of the tobiko, then half of the crab mixture, then half of diced cucumbers.

Use a large spoon to hold down the assembled sushi while you carefully pull up the mold. Arrange half of the sliced avocado. Refrigerate or serve immediately. Top with furikake or sesame seeds.

Serve with a spoon and pieces of Korean nori for guests to make their own sushi.

Makes two towers, each good for 4 to 6 people.

Lynette Lo Tom offers recipes for the Maui home cook. She is the author of “A Chinese Kitchen” and “Back in the Day” cookbooks. Send your ideas to lynette@brightlightcookery. com or call 275-3004.