Nigiri Sushi

Name: Nigiri Sushi
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 200g Japanese Short-Grain Sushi Rice; 240ml Water; 40ml Rice Vinegar; 18g Sugar; 5g Sea Salt, fine; 90g Tuna, sashimi-grade (maguro), sliced into 6 pieces; 90g Salmon, sashimi-grade (sake), sliced into 6 pieces; 90g Yellowtail, sashimi-grade (hamachi), sliced into 6 pieces; 6 large Shrimp, ebi, boiled, peeled, butterflied, tails on; 2 tsp Wasabi, paste or freshly grated; 60ml Soy Sauce, for serving; 50g Pickled Ginger, gari; 1 sheet of Nori, cut into thin bands (optional, to secure ebi); 250ml Water, for tezu (hand-dipping water); 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar, for tezu (hand-dipping water)

Silky slices of fresh fish laid over lightly seasoned, slightly warm sushi rice make classic Nigiri Sushi a simple yet elegant bite. The seasoned rice balances the clean flavors of tuna, salmon, yellowtail and shrimp, while a dab of wasabi and pickled ginger lift each piece. This recipe walks you through making proper sushi rice and shaping neat nigiri for a restaurant-style presentation at home.

Silky slices of fresh fish laid over lightly seasoned, slightly warm sushi rice make classic Nigiri Sushi a simple yet elegant bit... Show more

Traditional Japanese Recipe

Health Grade

A · Excellent

Rating

4.6

Time

1 hr20 min

Price

2,73 €

Calories

355 kcal

low calorie

low fat

low sugar

date night

Method

Rinse the rice

Place the Japanese short-grain sushi rice in a bowl and cover it with cold running water. Swirl it gently with your fingers, pour off the cloudy water, and repeat until the water looks only lightly cloudy instead of milky. Cover the rice with fresh cold water again and let it soak for 20 minutes, then drain it very well.

Cook the rice

Transfer the drained rice to a saucepan and add the Water. Bring it just to a boil over medium heat, then cover, reduce to low, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand, still covered, for 10 minutes so the grains finish steaming. Keep the lid on for the full cooking and resting time or the rice can cook unevenly.

Blend the seasoning

While the rice cooks, stir together the Rice vinegar, Sugar, and Sea salt in a small bowl until the sugar and salt dissolve as much as possible. If needed, warm the mixture for a few seconds so it turns clear and smooth, then let it cool slightly.

Cook the shrimp

Bring a small saucepan of water to a gentle boil. Add the Shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until they turn pink and opaque all the way through. Drain them right away and rinse briefly under cold running water to stop the cooking.

Butterfly the shrimp

Peel the cooked shrimp, leaving the tails on. Using a small sharp knife, make a shallow cut along the belly side of each shrimp almost all the way through, then open it flat with your fingers so it sits neatly on the rice. If you see a vein, remove it before setting the shrimp aside.

Slice the fish

Using a very sharp knife, slice the Tuna, Salmon, and Yellowtail across the grain into 6 pieces each. Aim for slices that are thin but not flimsy, about the length of two fingers, so each piece can drape over a small mound of rice. Keep the fish well chilled until you are ready to shape the nigiri.

Season the rice

Transfer the hot cooked rice to a wide shallow bowl or dish. Drizzle the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt mixture evenly over the rice, then use a rice paddle or spatula to fold and slice through the grains rather than stirring in circles. Fan the rice as you fold for about 15 minutes, until it looks glossy and cools to warm room temperature.

Mix the tezu

In a small bowl, combine the remaining water with the remaining rice vinegar to make tezu, the hand-dipping water. Keep it beside your work area so you can lightly moisten your fingers while shaping the rice.

Shape the nigiri

Lightly moisten your hands with tezu, then take a small portion of sushi rice and gently press it into a compact oval about the size of a large walnut. Place a tiny dab of Wasabi on one slice of fish or one butterflied shrimp, set it on top of the rice, and press very gently so the topping follows the shape of the rice without flattening it. Repeat with the tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and shrimp until you have used all the rice and seafood. If you like, wrap a thin strip of Nori around each shrimp nigiri to help hold it in place.

Serve and arrange

Arrange the nigiri on a platter and serve it right away with Soy sauce for dipping and Pickled ginger on the side. Keep the soy sauce for the fish side rather than soaking the rice, which helps the nigiri stay intact and balanced.