Hoshi Sushi & Sashimi Recipe

Prepare sushi rice

Combine the cooked short-grain sushi rice (1.25 cups) while still warm in a wide shallow bowl. Mix rice vinegar seasoning (3 tbs), sugar (2 tsp) and salt (1 tsp) until dissolved, then evenly fold into the rice using a cutting motion with a paddle or spatula. Fan the rice to cool to near room temperature (about 10–15 minutes) while continuing gentle folding to create glossy, separated grains.

Portion rice

Wet your hands lightly with the small bowl of water to prevent sticking. Take approximately 25–30 g of seasoned rice (about 2 tablespoons) and form it into an oblong ball by gently pressing between your palms — not tightly, you want a slightly springy texture.

Slice fish

Using a very sharp knife, slice assorted sashimi-grade fish into 2–3 mm thick slices about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. For 5 nigiri pieces, allocate roughly 7 oz total fish, cutting five slices of approximately 0.9–1.2 oz each. Move the knife in one smooth stroke rather than sawing to preserve texture.

Assemble nigiri

Lightly dab a small amount of wasabi (about 1/8 tsp) onto one side of each fish slice. Place the fish, wasabi-side down, over the rice ball and gently press the fish and rice together with your fingers to adhere. Shape the rice underneath as needed to keep a neat oblong nigiri. Repeat for all 5 pieces.

Finish and serve

Arrange nigiri on a serving plate. Serve with soy sauce, additional wasabi and pickled ginger on the side. If desired, garnish with a thin lemon zest or microgreens.

Select and chill fish

Use 8 oz of sashimi-grade fish. Keep fish very cold until just before slicing to maintain texture and safety. Pat dry with paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Slice sashimi

With a long, very sharp slicer (sashimi bōchō or yanagiba), cut fish against the grain in single smooth strokes into pieces about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick and 2–3 inches long. For thinner pieces (common for certain fish), aim for 2–3 mm thickness. Produce 8 total slices.

Plate and garnish

Arrange the 8 sashimi slices on a chilled plate over a small nest of julienned daikon radish (1/2 cup). Add shiso leaves and lemon wedges as desired. Serve immediately with soy sauce and wasabi on the side.

Prepare rice for roll

Mix the cooked sushi rice (1 cup) with rice vinegar seasoning (2 tbs) while warm, folding gently until evenly coated. Let cool to room temperature.

Prepare fillings

Mix imitation crab (3 oz) with mayonnaise (1 tsp). Slice avocado half thinly and julienne cucumber (1/4 cup), removing seeds so it doesn't add water. Keep fillings ready.

Assemble inside-out roll (uramaki)

Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the bamboo rolling mat. Put the nori sheet shiny-side down on the plastic. Wet your hands and spread an even layer of rice (about 3/4 to 1 cup of the prepared roll rice) over the nori to cover it. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds (1 tsp) evenly over the rice. Carefully flip the nori so rice is down and nori facing up (so fillings will be inside). Place the crab-mayo mixture in a line across the nori about 1 inch from the bottom edge, then top with avocado slices and cucumber julienne.

Roll and cut

Use the mat to tightly roll the nori and rice over the fillings, pressing firmly to form a compact cylinder. Remove the roll from the mat and place seam-side down. Using a sharp wet knife, cut the roll into 6–8 pieces, wiping the knife between cuts to maintain clean slices.

Plate and finish

Arrange the California roll pieces on the serving plate with the nigiri and sashimi. Serve with soy sauce, extra wasabi and pickled ginger.

Arrange all components (5 nigiri, 8 sashimi slices and the California roll pieces) attractively on a platter. Place pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce in small dishes for the table. Garnish with remaining shiso leaves and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

Storage note: Consume sashimi and nigiri fresh within 2 hours when served at room temperature. Any leftover cooked rice may be refrigerated up to 24 hours; sashimi should not be stored for later consumption once plated.