Nigiri Sushi

Today's Ghost Writer: Jeff (Ellis's boyfriend)

Nigiri style sushi, or Nigirizushi, is a style of sushi in which fish (or the main topping of your choice) is draped directly over a small palmful of rice. The Japanese name translates roughly to "hand formed sushi". Nigiri is a simple dish to make, using only a few ingredients and taking only a few minutes to prepare, yet is something of an art form unto its self which can take years to master.

Some Nigiri pieces made with Salmon.

For a meal for one, you will need:

• Your choice of fish (~1/3 pound)
• 1 cup short grain rice
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• A very sharp non-serrated knife

And you may want:

• Soy Sauce
• Wasabi
• Sesame Seeds
• To keep your cats out of the kitchen

Choosing Fish

Sushi is made with raw fish, so there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing fish. Your best bet is to purchase fish that has been frozen and not yet thawed. If you are visiting a fish market or your grocery store, ask the clerk if they have any in the back that has not been unfrozen yet. Frozen fish keeps better and the freezing process kills any parasites that may be present, so make sure your fish is frozen. Many kinds of fish can be used, but Tuna and Salmon are easy to find and are easier to work with, so I would recommend one or both of those.

Set your fish out to thaw about a couple of hours before you plan to eat, more if the piece is thicker than about 3 cm.

Making Rice

Sushi rice must be sticky, or your Nigiri pieces are not going to hold together and your sushi experience will be very sad indeed. Your first step is going to be making the rice, which you will need to start about half an hour before you plan to eat.

1. Thoroughly rinse the rice in a mesh strainer for about a minute, under a cold water tap. This helps remove extra starches and will prevent the rice from becoming too glutenous.
2. Add the rice with an equal part of water into a small covered pot, on high heat.
3. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a slow simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove heat and let cool about 10 minutes while covered.
4. Mix the vinegar and salt in a small bowl, and stir until the salt has dissolved.
5. Pour the vinegar mixture onto the rice, and gently fold the rice with a large spoon until it is mixed in. Do not use a stirring motion or be too vigorous - the rice will have already started to clump together and we don't want to break it up too much. Add a few tablespoons of sesame seeds to the rice, if that's your thing.
6. Allow the rice to cool to body temperature, uncovered.

Cutting Fish

You're going to be cutting thin slices of fish from a larger block, and pairing each slice with a small ball of rice. Place your thawed fish on a cutting board and ready your insanely sharp knife. Seriously, sharp.

Fish pieces should be a few centimeters thick, and have a nice color. Salmon is shown here in the foreground.

Cut off pieces about 1/2 cm thick, and about 8 cm by 4 cm wide. The size requirements are loose; the most important thing is to get a thin slice that will drape nicely over the rice and hold together. Cut against the grain of the fish and at a diagonal angle, this will give your pieces a pleasing striped appearance. In the photo above, one would cut a line starting in the upper left and moving to the lower right, at a right angle to the stripes in the meat.

Try to use a single slicing motion - do not saw back and forth or apply much pressure. If the fish is not cutting easily then it is likely the knife is not sharp enough. While you're still learning I'd recommend going back and forth between cutting the fish and assembly, in case you need to make adjustments.

Assembly

Wet your hands lightly in a small bowl of cold water; this keeps the rice from sticking to your hands. Grab a small palmful of rice, about the size you think you could eat comfortably in a large bite. Form it with your fingers into an oblong and roughly rectangular blob, pressing firmly against your palm. If the rice is sticking to your hand more than to its self, try wetting your hands more.

Keeping the rice ball in one hand, pick up a slice of fish with the other. Lay the fish gently on top of the rice ball, then press it gently with two fingers to help it adhere to the rice. Form the rice a bit more if necessary so that the piece looks clean and symmetrical. Looking directly from the top down the rice should not be visible underneath the fish.

If you like wasabi, place a very small dab of it underneath the fish before laying it on the rice. Soy sauces can be brushed atop the finished Nigiri pieces or used as a side for dipping during the meal.

And you're done! Enjoy your sushi soon - it does not keep or refrigerate well.

And don't cut yourself with that knife of yours.