Master shrimp nigiri (aka ebi nigiri) with this simple yet comprehensive recipe. Perfect for beginners, this guide breaks down the process into easy steps, ensuring you can create flawless shrimp nigiri, like you'd find in Japanese restaurants, in your home kitchen.
If the thought of handling raw fish makes you a bit uneasy, starting with poached shrimp is an excellent choice. You might even be able to find shrimp ready-prepared, but if you can't you'll find everything you need to know about preparing shrimp from scratch together with how to form perfect nigiri.
Not only will you be set to enjoy restaurant-quality shrimp nigiri at a fraction of the price, but you can also apply these skills to other types of nigiri like tuna and salmon nigiri .
When I started making nigiri, finding the information I needed was a journey to say the least. I cobbled together what knowledge I could, flipping through my sushi cookbook, watching YouTube videos, and piecing together the information I found online. My goal now is to give you everything you need to know on crafting shrimp nigiri, all in one place along with step-by-step images and videos to give you a visual guide.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients
- Ingredient Notes
- Buying shrimp for nigiri
- How to prepare shrimp for nigiri
- Making Sushi rice
- What is hand water (Tezu)?
- How much rice to use for each nigiri
- Quick Recipe Video
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Expert Tips
- Serving suggestions
- People Often Ask
- More recipes you'll love
- Printable Recipe Card
- Shrimp Nigiri
Why you'll love this recipe
- Beginner-friendly guide that ensures you nail shrimp nigiri on your first try with clear, easy-to-follow instructions.
- Packed with tips and troubleshooting advice to avoid common nigiri-making errors.
- Use everyday kitchen tools and equipment.
- No more dining out to get your sushi fix. Save money by making restaurant-quality ebi nigiri sushi at home.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Sushi rice: Opt for Japanese short-grain rice, which needs to be cooked and seasoned with sushi vinegar (Sushizu) for that perfect balance of sweetness, saltiness, and acidity.
- Large shrimp: Like tiger prawns, spot prawns, or Pacific white shrimp. Ensure they are fresh or properly thawed if frozen.
- Wasabi: Adds a zesty kick to your nigiri. Available in both powder and paste form.
- Rice vinegar: A key component in making hand water (Tezu), preventing the cooked rice from sticking to your hands. Apple cider vinegar is a good alternative.
Buying shrimp for nigiri
Opt for large fresh shrimp like tiger prawns, spot prawns, or Pacific white shrimp. ideally sourced from your local fishmonger. Look for signs of freshness like firm and glossy shells, shiny eyes, and a mild salty smell like the sea. Discolored shells or a strong, fishy odor are red flags indicating the shrimp are past their prime. Also, steer clear of pink shrimp that have already been cooked.
Some Japanese specialty stores, or online retailers offer ready-prepared shrimp. These shrimp have been poached and butterflied, making them a straightforward choice for those new to making shrimp nigiri or short on time. This option allows you to bypass some of the preparatory steps without compromising on quality.
How to prepare shrimp for nigiri
Removing the intestinal tract
The intestinal tract, a dark vein along the underside of the shrimp is a digestive tube where food is broken down and nutrients are absorbed. While not harmful, this vein can give the shrimp a gritty texture and looks unattractive. To remove it, hold the shrimp in your non-dominant hand, gently straighten it, slide a bamboo skewer between the shell and the body, and pull out the vein.
Skewering and poaching
Skewering shrimp along their belly side ensures they remain straight during cooking, preventing the natural curling that occurs when heated. Boil the skewered shrimp in a pot of water for about one minute, just until they turn opaque and pink.
Then briefly allow them to cool at room temperature before transferring them to an ice bath for two minutes. This stops the cooking process, ensuring the shrimp stay tender. Then you just need to butterfly the shrimp along the belly.
Making Sushi rice
Before you get started, you'll need a batch of sushi rice, at room temperature, seasoned with sushi vinegar. This is easier to prepare at home than you might think, using your rice cooker, Instant Pot, or the stovetop method.
My rice recipes guide you through each step—from washing the rice to removing excess starch, to cooking it to perfection, and finally seasoning it with the right balance of vinegar, sugar, and salt.
What is hand water (Tezu)?
Hand water (Tezu) is a straightforward mixture of 1 cup of cold water and 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar. It creates a non-stick barrier on your hands, preventing the sticky sushi rice from clinging to your skin.
To use Tezu, start by lightly moistening the palm of one hand with the mixture, then briskly rub both hands together. This action should be enough to keep the rice from sticking without making your hands too wet, which could cause the rice to fall apart. Keep the Tezu close and reapply as necessary to maintain that perfect balance between moisture and stickiness as you form you nigiri.
How much rice to use for each nigiri
The amount of rice you should use depends on the size of the shrimp, which should elegantly drape over the sushi rice, like a cozy blanket covering a bed.
In Western sushi restaurants, it's common to see the fish sitting on top of the rice, but you'd never see it done this way in Japan.
Quick Recipe Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine water and rice vinegar in a medium-sized bowl to prepare the hand water (Tezu).
Step 2: To remove the intestinal tract from the shrimp, locate the dark line along the backside. Insert a skewer under the second and third shell plates and lift to remove. If it doesn’t come out in one piece, continue with the next shell plates.
Step 3: Straighten a shrimp and slide a wooden skewer between the shell and body towards the tail. Repeat for all shrimp.
Step 4: Boil a large pan of salty water, add the shrimp, and cook for 1 minute. Let them cool at room temperature briefly before moving to an ice bath for 2 minutes.
Step 5: Pat the shrimp dry and peel off the shells while leaving the tail intact.
Step 6: Butterfly the shrimp along the belly to ensure they lie flat, checking for any remaining intestinal tract.
Step 7: With your dominant hand, pick up an egg-shaped ball of rice, gently compressing it into a rounded rectangular shape, by rotating it in your palm.
Step 8: Hold a prepared shrimp in your other hand, allowing it to rest on your fingers.
Step 9: Optional: Smear a bit of wasabi on your dominant hand's index finger and gently run it along the shrimp.
Step 10: Position the rice onto the shrimp and gently press down. Flip the nigiri right-side up, pressing it gently with your index and middle fingers. Place the finished nigiri on a wooden board and repeat with the remaining rice and shrimp.
Expert Tips
- Ready-prepared shrimp are a convenient option for those short on time. You can find it in Japanese grocery stores or online, perfectly poached and butterflied for your nigiri.
- Always devein shrimp to eliminate any grittiness and improve its appearance.
- Use wooden skewers to prevent the shrimp from curling during cooking.
- Avoid overcooking the shrimp; it should only simmer for about a minute. The shrimp is done as soon as it turns opaque. Overcooking can lead to a rubbery texture.
- Use enough rice so the shrimp can drape over like a blanket rather than just sitting on top.
- Apply hand water (Tezu) sparingly to prevent your fingers from sticking to the rice, but avoid using so much that the rice begins to fall apart.
- Press the rice gently but firmly when forming the nigiri. The goal is to create a cohesive shape that holds together well without crushing the delicate grains of rice.
Serving suggestions
While chopsticks are commonly used in sushi bars outside of Japan, using your hands is a more authentic way to enjoy nigiri. Gently grasp it between your fingers, then dip it into soy sauce — just enough to season, without overwhelming the delicate flavors of the shrimp and rice.
Add a little wasabi to the soy sauce for a zesty kick, or a little ponzu sauce for a citrusy flavor. For sides, I recommend edamame beans and miso soup for a complete and satisfying meal.
People Often Ask
Opt for large, fresh varieties such as tiger prawns, spot prawns, or Pacific white shrimp.
Yes, but only if it’s safe for raw consumption, like amaebi (sweet shrimp), which is often served raw because of its delicate flavor and texture.
The most common reason is using too much hand water (Tezu). While Tezu prevents the rice from sticking to your hands, excessive use can overly moisten the rice, causing your nigiri to lose its shape.
Making nigiri at home is significantly less expensive than dining out, and it won't be long until it's just as good, if not better than the nigiri you have enjoyed in restaurants.
Marinating shrimp isn’t typically necessary for nigiri, as the focus is on the shrimp's natural, delicate flavors. However, a light marinade using rice vinegar, sake, sugar, salt, and ginger can enhance the shrimp's natural flavor.
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Printable Recipe Card
Shrimp Nigiri
Equipment
- sharp knife
- medium-sized bowl
- wooden board
Ingredients
Hand water
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar (Note 1)
Nigiri sushi
- 1 cup cooked sushi rice at body temperature (Note 2)
- 8 large shrimp with heads removed (Note 3)
- wasabi (optional) (Note 4)
To serve
- soy sauce
- pickled ginger
Instructions
Preparing the hand water (tezu)
- Prepare the hand water by combining the water and rice vinegar in a medium size bowl.
Preparing the Shrimp (ebi)
- Remove the intestinal tract from the shrimp. Hold the shrimp in your non-dominant hand, gently straighten it, slide a bamboo skewer between the shell and the body, and pull out the vein. (scroll up to the recipe steps or watch the video to see how to do this).
- Pick up a shrimp with your non-dominant hand, straighten it, and place a wooden skewer between the shell and body towards the tail. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
- Bring a large pan of salty water to boil. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute.
- Leave to cool at room temperature for a few minutes and transfer to an ice bath for 2 minutes.
- Dry the shrimp with paper towels and peel off the shells but leave the tails on.
- Butterfly the prawns along the belly so they lie flat. Checking there is no remaining intestinal tract.
- Place in the marinade for 15 minutes.
Forming the nigiri
- Pick up an egg-shaped ball of rice with your dominant hand (right hand if right-handed or left hand if left-handed), and compress it gently without crushing into a rounded rectangular cylinder. Turn the rice in your palm a couple of times.
- Pick up a shrimp with your other hand and let it rest on your fingers.
- Optional: If you are using wasabi, smear a little on the index finger of your right hand and gently run it along the fish.
- Place the rice ball onto the fish and gently press down.
- Turn the upside-down nigiri the correct way up and press your index and middle fingers onto the fish to hold it in place.
- Place the finished nigiri onto a wooden board and repeat the process with the remaining rice and shrimp.
Notes
- Rice vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is a good alternative.
- Sushi rice: Opt for Japanese short-grain rice, which needs to be cooked and seasoned with sushi vinegar (Sushizu).
- Large shrimp: Like tiger prawns, spot prawns, or Pacific white shrimp. Ensure they are fresh or properly thawed if frozen.
- Wasabi: Available in both powder and paste form.
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