Guest Author - Sherry Van Der Elst

Originally developed in Tokyo as street finger food, Nigiri-Sushi is prepared with the freshest fish available and eaten within a matter of minutes after making.

Don't be discouraged if your first few attempts turn out unshapely little balls that don't look anything like the nigiri at your local sushi joint. The end result may not look pretty, but it's still edible and delicious!

2 1/2 cups sushi rice (recipe link below)
1 rolled omelette (recipe link below)
6 large shrimp, in shells
6 wooden skewers
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
5 tbsps rice vinegar
2 tsps sugar
8 oz fresh tuna fillet, skinned
2 tbsps wasabi powder
6 strips toasted nori
4 oz salmon roe
6 tbsps soy sauce
1/2 cup pickled ginger slices (for garnish)


1. Prepare sushi rice and rolled omelette (recipe links are below).

2. Flatten omelette slightly to form a more rectangular shape, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.

3. Remove shrimp from shells but leave tails attached. Remove vein from each shrimp. Insert wooden skewer lengthwise into each shrimp. Heat two cups of the water and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Add shrimp and reduce to a simmer until shrimp are just opaque, about two minutes. Rinse shrimp under cold running water and drain well. Remove skewers.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together three tbsps rice vinegar and sugar. Add shrimp and let marinate 10 minutes. Remove shrimp and discard marinade. Cut each shrimp lengthwise, cutting about 3/4 of the way through. Gently spread shrimp apart and press down to flatten.

5. Cut tuna fillet crosswise into 1 1/2" X 2 1/2" rectangles, 1/4" to 1/8" thick.

6. Whisk wasabi powder with just enough water to form a thick paste. Let stand, covered, for about 10 minutes.

7. Mix remaining 1/2 cup water and 1 tbsp vinegar in a small bowl to be used to
dampen fingers while handling sushi rice.

8. For salmon roe: Form 1 tbsp of sushi rice into an oval shape. Place oval on work surface and wrap a 1-inch wide strip of nori around it to form a cup (open both on top and bottom). Press gently but firmly to seal nori ends. Place a tiny dab of wasabi paste on top of rice and top with about 1 tbsp of salmon roe. Repeat steps for remaining salmon roe.

9. For tuna and shrimp: Place 1 tbsp of sushi rice across cupped fingers of your right hand. Close fingers around rice and squeeze gently but firmly to form a small, slightly oval "finger" of rice.

10. While holding the rice finger in your right hand, take a slice of tuna in your left palm and rub a small dab of wasabi paste down the center using your right index finger. Place rice finger lengthwise over tuna and press firmly while cupping left hand slightly. Turn the sushi so that the tuna is on top and gently press again. Repeat steps with remaining tuna slices and with shrimp.

11. For rolled omelette: Form sushi following the steps above, but omit the wasabi paste. Handle omelette slices carefully to prevent breaking. Band each omelette nigiri crosswise around the center with a 1/2-inch wide strip of nori.

12. Arrange sushi pieces on a decorative serving platter. Serve with small bowls of soy sauce for dipping and pickled ginger slices.