Nigiri

Anatomy: rice, wasabi, topping

A piece of nigiri has three parts. At the bottom is the rice, pressed gently by hand – firm enough to hold together, loose enough to fall apart in your mouth. Traditionally a touch of wasabi sits in between, binding fish and rice. On top is the topping, called neta in Japanese. For some types, such as eel or tofu, a thin strip of nori holds the topping in place.

Proportion is everything: good nigiri has relatively little rice and a topping that clearly overhangs it. An oversized, tightly packed block of rice is the most common sign of hurried, careless shaping.

Origins: the fast food of Edo

Nigiri was born in the early 19th century in Edo, today’s Tokyo. Instead of fermenting fish with rice for months, street vendors topped freshly vinegared rice with fish from Edo Bay. It was quick and perfect for eating standing up. That is why this style is still called Edomae sushi – “sushi in front of Edo”.

At the time, fish was often marinated, salted or briefly cooked because there was no refrigeration. Raw fish on nigiri as we know it only became standard with modern cold chains.

Popular types of nigiri

Well-known types include sake (salmon), maguro (tuna), ebi (prawn, usually cooked), unagi (grilled freshwater eel), hamachi (yellowtail) and tamago (sweet omelette). Inari – rice in a sweet and savoury tofu pouch – is sometimes listed with nigiri, although it is filled rather than topped.

If you order several kinds, eat them from mild to rich: pale, lean fish first, then salmon and tuna, and finish with eel and its sweet glaze.

How to eat nigiri

You can eat nigiri with your fingers – in Japan that is perfectly normal. Tilt the piece and dip only the topping briefly into the soy sauce, never the rice, or it will soak it up and crumble. Then place it fish-side down on your tongue and eat it in one bite.