Sake Recipe

Rinse rice

Place 2 cups of short-grain sushi rice into a bowl. Cover with cold water and swirl with your hand, then drain. Repeat rinsing and draining 4–6 times until the rinse water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch.

Soak and cook

After the final drain, let the rice sit in the sieve or pot for 30 minutes to further drain. Transfer rinsed rice to a heavy pot with 2.2 cups water (use the rice package ratio if different). Let rice soak in the water for 30 minutes. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed. Turn off heat and let rice steam, covered, for 10 minutes more.

Prepare sushi vinegar

While the rice cooks, combine 3 tbs rice vinegar, 1.5 tbs sugar, and 1 tsp fine sea salt in a small saucepan. Warm gently, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Season rice

Transfer hot cooked rice to a broad shallow bowl or hangiri if available. Pour the sushi vinegar evenly over rice. Using a rice paddle or wooden spatula, cut and fold the rice — using a slicing motion rather than mashing — to mix seasoning while fanning the rice to cool it to slightly above room temperature. Aim for glossy, separated grains. Cover the rice with a damp towel to keep it from drying while you prepare the fish.

Prepare salmon

Using a very sharp knife, cut the 8 oz sushi-grade salmon fillet into 8 slices, about 1/4 inch (6–7 mm) thick and 2–3 inches (5–7 cm) long. For traditional nigiri, cut each slice on a slight bias so pieces drape nicely over the rice. Keep salmon chilled until assembling.

Portion rice for nigiri

Wet your hands lightly with water to prevent sticking (you can add a drop of rice vinegar to the wetting water). Take about 20–25 g (roughly 2 tablespoons) of seasoned sushi rice and shape it into an oblong mound: press gently with your fingertips to form a compact but slightly airy ball, about 1.5 inches long. Do not compress too firmly; nigiri should hold shape but remain tender.

Assemble with wasabi

Take a thin smear (about 1/8–1/4 tsp) of wasabi and spread a light, even layer on one side of a salmon slice. Place the wasabi-spread side down onto the top of the rice mound. With your other hand, press the fish to the rice using gentle rocking motions to adhere them together. Repeat for all pieces.

Optional finishing

If desired, brush a tiny amount of mirin or a few drops of citrus on top of the salmon for gloss and subtle sweetness. Alternatively, torch lightly for aburi-style salmon (briefly torch until surface is slightly charred) — only if you have proper tools and want that variation.

Serve

Arrange salmon nigiri on a plate. Serve immediately with soy sauce, pickled ginger (gari), and extra wasabi on the side. To eat, lightly dip the fish (not the rice) into soy sauce to prevent rice from absorbing too much liquid and falling apart.

Keep a bowl of water at hand to wet your fingers between forming pieces so rice won’t stick. Clean your knife between batches (wipe with a damp cloth) for clean cuts. Any leftover sushi rice should be stored covered at room temperature and used within a few hours for best texture; refrigerating will dry it out.