Aburi nigiri goshumori – seared nigiri sushi

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Hideki Hiwatashi's seared nigiri sushi recipe makes a wonderfully elegant seafood starter if you're looking for something a little different, with vibrant salmon roe and decadent caviar adding an extra touch of luxury to this classic Japanese dish. It's worth sourcing the highest quality fish you can for this dish, and avoid any seafood which has previously been frozen if using it for sashimi.

First published in 2016

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Seared nigiri

  • 50g of salmon
  • 50g of tuna, preferably medium fatty tuna (chūtoro)
  • 50g of eel, freshwater (unagi)
  • 50g of hamachi fillet
  • 4 botan prawns

Sushi rice

  • 150g of sushi rice
  • 180ml of water
  • 12ml of rice vinegar
  • 3g of salt
  • 7g of sugar

To serve

Equipment

  • Microwave
  • Blowtorch

Method

1
Begin by preparing the sushi rice. Place the rice in a medium pan with a tightly fitting lid and rinse thoroughly with cold water 5 or 6 times. After the final rinse, refill the pan with water and leave the rice to soak for 20 minutes
2
Carefully drain the soaked rice and pour over the measured water. Bring up to the boil, then cover the pan with the lid and reduce the heat until very low. Leave the rice to steam and simmer gently for 20 minutes
  • 180ml of water
3
When the rice has nearly finished cooking prepare the sushi vinegar. Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a large bowl and place in a microwave for 10 seconds. One warmed through, stir well to combine
  • 12ml of rice vinegar
  • 3g of salt
  • 7g of sugar
4
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the cooked rice to the mixing bowl with the sushi vinegar. Mix together to combine, then set aside and leave to cool to room temperature
5
Meanwhile, prepare the fish. Thinly slice the salmon, tuna, eel and hamachi into even strips, each weighing 10–12g. Carefully peel the botan prawns and set aside until required
  • 50g of salmon
  • 50g of eel, freshwater (unagi)
  • 50g of hamachi fillet
  • 4 botan prawns
  • 50g of tuna, preferably medium fatty tuna (chūtoro)
6
To assemble the sushi, weigh out 20 portions of sushi rice, each weighing 12g. Using the palm of your hands, shape the rice balls into even oblongs and place on a baking tray
7
Lay the fish pieces on top of the rice and sear with a blowtorch until lightly charred. Once seared, divide the nigiri evenly between serving dishes
8
To serve, top the tuna nigiri with 2g each of caviar and the salmon nigiri with 2g each of roe. Sprinkle a small pinch of sanshō over the eel, a little sudachi zest over the prawn and garnish the hamachi nigiri with sprigs of shiso cress. Place a little sushi ginger and wasabi on each plate and serve immediately
First published in 2016

With over fifteen years of rigorous Japanese culinary training behind him, Hideki Hiwatashi is well versed in the art of kaiseki cuisine.

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