Salmon Nigiri: Sake Nigiri at Home
A silky slice of salmon on warm seasoned rice: the simplest and most elegant dish in Japanese cooking.
Nigiri is simply a small mound of rice topped with a slice of fish. With only two ingredients, every detail counts: the temperature of the rice, the freshness of the fish and the sharpness of your knife.
Safety first
- Use fish sold as sushi grade or from a fishmonger you trust.
- Freezing the fish at –20 °C for at least seven days reduces the risk of parasites.
- Do not store finished nigiri; eat them straight away.
Nutrition
Per serving (≈ 190 g). Approximate values.
How to make it
5 steps · start a timer right inside a step
Cook the rice
Rinse the rice well, simmer it covered in the measured water for 12 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes. Fold in the vinegar, sugar and salt and leave it until just warm.
Slice the salmon
Trim off the dark strip from the fillet. Holding the knife at 45 degrees, cut the salmon across the grain into 20 slices roughly 5 × 2.5 cm and 5 mm thick. Draw the knife towards you in one stroke rather than sawing.
Shape the rice
Dip your hands in the vinegared water. Take 18–20 g of rice and press it lightly in your palm into a small oblong. It should hold together without being packed hard.
Assemble the nigiri
Smear a little wasabi on the underside of a salmon slice and place a rice oblong on top. Press gently with two fingers so the fish hugs the rice.
Serve at once
Arrange the nigiri fish-side up. Dip them into soy sauce fish-side down so the rice does not soak up too much sauce and fall apart.
Cook’s tips
- 1Keep the rice warm; cold rice tastes hard and bland.
- 2Wipe the knife with a damp cloth after each cut.
- 3Five pieces per person make a nice light supper.
- 4Slice your salmon against the grain to ensure a tender texture that melts in your mouth. Aim for slices about 1/4 inch thick for the perfect ratio of fish to rice.
Serving & storage: Arrange the pieces on a chilled ceramic platter with a small mound of pickled ginger and a ramekin of soy sauce for dipping. Consume the nigiri within two hours of preparation, as raw fish does not store well and the rice will dry out in the refrigerator.
Taking it further
Sear the top of each slice with a blowtorch for a few seconds to make aburi nigiri: the fat softens and the aroma deepens. A drop of lemon juice and a pinch of salt is all it needs.
The takeaway
Nigiri teaches patience and precision. After a few attempts your rice mounds will come out evenly and the plate will look as good as a sushi bar’s.
