Yanaka Matsuzushi-style: Elegant Sushi Recipes to Enjoy at Home

Sushi, a Japanese cuisine loved not only in Japan but worldwide. Whether it's nigiri sushi, oshizushi, inarizushi, or makizushi, they all have different names and forms, but what they have in common is that they're somehow special and make us happy when we eat them.

Recently, while sushi is considered the pinnacle of dining out, wouldn't it be cool to make it quickly at home? We asked Yasuyuki Nomoto, the third-generation owner of "Yanaka Matsuzushi", to teach us some simple yet elegant recipes.

Our teacher... Yasuyuki Nomoto

Third-generation owner of Yanaka Matsuzushi / Chef / Food Coordinator. While being the third-generation owner of "Yanaka Matsuzushi", founded in 1940, he's also active as a chef and food coordinator. His books include "Home Sushi" and "Fish Dishes You Want to Eat Every Day". He's also regularly updating his YouTube channel "Yasuyuki Nomoto Channel".

How to Make Basic Sushi Rice

If you remember this, you're halfway to making sushi at home!

Ingredients

Rice... 2 cups
Vinegar... 50ml

A
Sugar... 1 1/2 tablespoons
Salt... 1 1/2 teaspoons

Method

1/ Mix A together.
2/ Put the rice in a hangiri (or a large flat-bottomed bowl), add A, and mix with a rice paddle, cutting through the rice without mashing it.
3/ Once mixed, fan it with a hand fan and cover with a tightly wrung damp cloth to finish.

Easy! Plastic Wrap Nigiri Sushi

Nigiri is something we rarely try at home. Buy sashimi pre-cut for sushi from the fish shop and use plastic wrap to shape it easily.

Ingredients

Basic sushi rice... 1 cup worth
Sashimi of your choice... 24 slices
Wasabi... to taste

Method

1/ Divide the sushi rice into 24 equal portions. Place sashimi on plastic wrap and spread wasabi.
2/ Lightly shape the sushi rice and place it on top of the sashimi, then close the wrap.
3/ Use your fingertips to shape and blend the sashimi and rice.
4/ Place the sashimi side up on your left palm, align your right index and middle fingers, and press firmly from above.
5/ Shape the sides with your right index finger and thumb to finish.

Versatile Marinade is Key! Seafood Chirashi

Using an assorted sashimi platter and basic sushi rice, you can quickly make an elegant chirashi sushi!

Ingredients

Assorted sashimi platter... for 3-4 people
Versatile marinade... as needed
Basic sushi rice... 2 cups
Kinome leaves... as needed

Method

1/ Cut the sashimi into bite-sized pieces.
2/ Marinate the sashimi in the versatile marinade for about 10 minutes, then drain lightly.
3/ Serve the basic sushi rice on a plate, top with the marinated sashimi, sprinkle with kinome



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