Yesterday, I decided to try my hand at making sake nigiri at home. I’ve always loved ordering it at sushi restaurants, and I figured, how hard could it be? Turns out, it’s a bit trickier than it looks, but still totally doable!
Getting Started
First things first, I needed to gather my ingredients and tools. I already had some sushi rice and rice vinegar, so that was a good start. I made a quick trip to the store for:
- Fresh salmon (sushi-grade, of course!)
- Nori seaweed sheets
- Wasabi
- Soy sauce
- Pickled ginger (gari)
I also made sure I had a sharp knife, a cutting board, a rice paddle, and a bowl of water (to keep my hands from getting sticky).
Cooking the Rice
The rice is super important. I followed the instructions on my rice cooker, which is pretty straightforward. After it cooked, I carefully transferred the hot rice to a large bowl. Then I did the whole “add the rice vinegar mixture” thing, gently folding it in with the rice paddle. You gotta be careful not to mash the rice – nobody wants mushy nigiri!
Prepping The Salmon
This part made me a little nervous. I used my sharpest knife to make my cuts. The goal is to get nice, even slices, but I learned that it’s also important to pay attention to the direction of the grain in the fish. I ended up doing a little trial and error to get the shape and size that I felt were right.
Shaping the Nigiri
Okay, this is where the real fun (and frustration) began. I wet my hands with water, grabbed a small handful of rice, and started shaping it into an oval. It took a few tries to get the hang of it. The rice kept sticking to my fingers, or falling apart, or just looking…wrong. But eventually, I started to get a feel for the right amount of pressure and the right shape.
Once I had a decent-looking rice ball, I dabbed a tiny bit of wasabi on top (not too much!), and then carefully placed a slice of salmon over it. I gently pressed the salmon onto the rice, trying to make it look all neat and professional. I also cut some thin strips of nori and wrapped them around a few of the nigiri, just for variety.
The Finished Product (and Taste Test!)
After about an hour, I had a plate full of sake nigiri! They weren’t perfect – some were a little lopsided, some had too much rice, some had too little – but hey, I made them myself! I served them with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and some extra wasabi (for those who like it spicy).
And the taste? Pretty darn good! The salmon was fresh and flavorful, the rice was nicely seasoned, and the wasabi gave it that perfect little kick. Honestly, I was surprised at how well it turned out, especially for a first attempt. It was definitely a fun and rewarding experience, and I’ll definitely be making sake nigiri again soon. Maybe next time I’ll even try making some other types of sushi!
