Directions

• Sashimi
• Use a very sharp knife to first cut the raw fish in a rectangular shape and then slice at an angle of 45°. It really helps if the fish is partially frozen while you are slicing it. Arrange on the plate.
• Nigiri sushi
• Rinse hands in a mix of water and rice vinegar to keep the rice from sticking to your hands.
• Lightly form a ball of 2 heaping tablespoons room temperature Japanese rice in the palm of your hand. Press a bit of wasabi into the rice ball. Use your fingers of both hands too lightly form it into a slightly elongated shape. Repeat.
• Dry hands. Cut two 1 1/2 strips from one of the nori sheets. Wrap it around the rice balls and seal the edge with a little bit of the water/vinegar mixture. Fill the nigiri with the ingredients of of your choice. This can take some practice, but it’s fun to eat your mistakes. Arrange on the plate.
• Temaki (hand roll)
• Rinse hands in a mix of water and rice vinegar to keep the rice from sticking to your hands.
• Lightly form a ball of 2 heaping tablespoons room temperature Japanese rice in the palm of your hand. Press a bit of wasabi into the rice ball. Dry hands. Place on one of the nori sheets, shiny side down. Add a slice of salmon or tuna and any optional ingredients taking care not to add too much until you get the hang of it. Roll it into a cone shape. Seal with the water rice vinegar mixture.
  Don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect, the more you mess around with it the worse it will get.
  The reason they hand it to you at the sushi bar is said it’s meant to be eaten immediately before the nori gets soft.
• If you are new at this, skip the optional ingredients for now. Otherwise, add them the same time as the fish.
• Arrange on the plate.
• Final plating
• Make a small ball out of the prepared wasabi and use your fingers to shape it like a leaf. Use a very small knife to make a couple of very shallow cuts. This one you can try more than once if you don’t get it the first time. Position on the plate carefully, it’s easy to squish it.
• Add a very healthy pinch of prepared pickled ginger.
• Serve with Japanese rice seasoned with Furikake and soy or tamurai sauce in a separate small bowl.