Nigiri Sushi

Nigiri sushi originated in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during the early 19th century, where street vendors pressed vinegared rice by hand and topped it with fresh fish from Tokyo Bay. This iconic two-bite delicacy remains the purest expression of Japanese culinary philosophy — pristine ingredients, precise technique, and nothing to hide behind.

Ingredients

2 cups Japanese short-grain sushi rice (uncooked)

2 cups cold water

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1.5 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

200g sushi-grade bluefin or yellowfin tuna, skin removed

200g sushi-grade Atlantic salmon, skin removed

100g sushi-grade hamachi (yellowtail), skin removed

1 teaspoon wasabi paste (from tube or freshly grated real wasabi)

2 tablespoons soy sauce, for serving

1 small piece kombu (dried kelp), approximately 5cm square

Instructions

Rinse the sushi rice in a fine mesh strainer under cold running water, gently stirring with your hand, until the water runs completely clear — approximately 3 to 4 minutes. This removes excess starch and prevents gummy rice.

Combine the rinsed rice, 2 cups cold water, and the kombu piece in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Allow the rice to soak for 30 minutes before cooking.

Remove the kombu and bring the rice to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly with a lid, and cook for 12 minutes. Do not lift the lid. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.

While the rice cooks, combine the rice wine vinegar, sugar, and sea salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar and salt fully dissolve, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Transfer the cooked rice to a large, wide, non-metallic bowl (ideally a wooden hangiri or large glass bowl). Pour the cooled vinegar mixture evenly over the rice. Using a rice paddle or flat wooden spatula, fold the vinegar into the rice with quick, horizontal cutting motions — do not stir or mash. Fan the rice simultaneously to cool it quickly and create a glossy finish. Cover the seasoned rice with a damp kitchen towel and keep at room temperature until ready to use.

Using an extremely sharp knife, slice the tuna, salmon, and hamachi against the grain at a 45-degree angle into pieces approximately 6cm long, 3cm wide, and 5mm thick. Wipe the knife blade with a damp cloth between each cut to ensure clean slices.

Wet your hands with cold water mixed with a few drops of rice vinegar to prevent sticking. Pick up approximately 20g of rice (roughly 1.5 tablespoons) and gently shape it into a compact oval log in your palm, pressing firmly three to four times with your fingers to form a cohesive piece without compressing the rice too tightly.

Place a small dab of wasabi paste (about 1/8 teaspoon) onto the underside of a fish slice using your fingertip. Press the fish slice wasabi-side down onto the top of the rice oval, cupping your hand and pressing gently with two fingers to adhere the fish to the rice and refine the oval shape.

Arrange the finished nigiri on a chilled plate or wooden serving board, alternating the fish varieties in a visually appealing row. Serve immediately with soy sauce for dipping on the side.