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Six finished shrimp nigiri on a wooden board on a white background.

Shrimp Nigiri

Learn to make restaurant-quality shrimp nigiri at home with this easy, step-by-step guide perfect for beginners.
3 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Japanese, Sushi
Servings 8 nigiri
Calories 50 kcal

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

  1. Rice vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is a good alternative.
  2. Sushi rice: Opt for Japanese short-grain rice, which needs to be cooked and seasoned with sushi vinegar (Sushizu).
  3. Large shrimp: Like tiger prawns, spot prawns, or Pacific white shrimp. Ensure they are fresh or properly thawed if frozen. 
  4. Wasabi: Available in both powder and paste form.

Nutrition

Serving: 1nigiriCalories: 50kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 11mgPotassium: 101mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.01gVitamin A: 8IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.2mg
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