Grand Nigiri Moriawase Recipe

Rinse and cook rice

Place 2 cups short-grain sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water, stirring with your hand, until the runoff is nearly clear (3–4 minutes). Drain 10–15 minutes. Transfer rice to a rice cooker or heavy pot, add 2.2 cups water, and cook according to rice cooker instructions or bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 12–14 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes.

Make sushi vinegar

While rice cooks, combine 4 tbs rice vinegar, 1.5 tbs sugar, and 1 tsp fine sea salt in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat just until sugar and salt dissolve; do not boil. Cool slightly.

Season rice

Transfer hot cooked rice to a large wooden or nonreactive bowl. Gently fold the sushi vinegar through the rice with a wooden spatula or rice paddle using cutting and fanning motions to cool the rice and create glossy grains. Fan rice as you fold to help it reach slightly above room temperature (warm, not hot). Cover with a damp cloth to keep moist.

Slice fish

Using a very sharp sashimi knife, slice the sushi-grade fish into nigiri slices: about 3 inches long, 1.5 inches wide, and 1/8 inch thick. For each fish type (salmon, tuna, yellowtail, scallop), aim for two slices roughly 0.6–0.7 oz each (total 8 oz across fish for 8 pieces). Arrange on a chilled plate, cover lightly with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until ready. Pat scallop dry and slice horizontally if large; you can halve scallops into two thin rounds.

Prepare shrimp

If using pre-cooked ebi, remove shell leaving tail intact, butterfly by slicing along the belly and pressing flat. Briefly chill or keep refrigerated until assembly. If you'd like a slight finish, brush shrimp lightly with toasted sesame oil or briefly torch to warm and add flavor.

Wet hands and portion rice

Fill a small bowl with water and add a splash of rice vinegar to keep rice from sticking. Keep a damp towel nearby. With wet hands, take a portion of seasoned rice about 2 tablespoons (roughly 20–25 g) and gently shape into an oblong mound about 2 inches long and slightly tapered on the ends. Do not compress too tightly—aim for a cohesive but airy texture.

Apply wasabi and top

Lightly dab a thin smear (a pea-sized amount spread thin) of wasabi on one side of the fish slice. Place the fish slice, wasabi side down, over the rice mound. Press gently but firmly—use your thumb and forefinger to hold the fish in place and your other hand to press underneath and mold rice to fish so they adhere. For scallop or shrimp, position the topping to cover rice and press to attach.

Repeat

Form 10 nigiri in total: 2 salmon, 2 tuna, 2 yellowtail, 2 scallop (or 2 slices from 2 scallops), and 2 ebi. Keep finished nigiri covered with a damp cloth at room temperature no longer than 30 minutes before serving to preserve texture.

Optional aburi finish

If you want a lightly seared (aburi) note on 1–2 pieces (commonly salmon), brush a tiny amount (about 1/4 tsp) of toasted sesame oil on the fish and briefly pass under a kitchen blowtorch until surface is slightly charred. Alternatively, very briefly sear with a hot pan for a second—do not cook through.

Plate and serve

Arrange the 10 nigiri on a serving board or plate. Garnish with microgreens or finely sliced scallion placed lightly atop scallop or yellowtail pieces as desired. Serve with pickled ginger and wasabi on the side and soy sauce for dipping. Advise diners to dip the fish side (not rice) lightly into soy sauce to preserve rice texture.