Table Of Content
this book brings the traditional art of sushi-making into your home
with a non-traditional approach and more than 50 delicious, accessible
recipes. At its essence, sushi showcases beautiful, pure seafood or vegetables
resting on plump pearls of rice. A Visual Guide to Sushi-Making at Home
gives you the know-how and confidence of a seasoned sushi chef to create
exceptional sashimi and sushi-style dishes in your own kitchen.
Renowned sushi chef Hiro Sone shares the fundamentals of sushi-making
via step-by-step photography and dozens of ingredient and equipment
identifications. You will learn how to prep a variety of seafood and classic
components such as dashi, wasabi, and cured mackerel, and how to hand-
press rice balls. You’ll know how to break down a whole halibut and how
to cut a tuna loin at just the right angle into perfect slices.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, try your hand at creative rolls such as
pickled plum, cucumber, and shiso. Read about what to drink with the
nigiri you’ve formed. And when you long for sushi flavors but don’t
want to break out your rolling mat, explore the chapter devoted to sushi
bowls, such as wild salmon and salmon roe or soy-marinated tuna.
Sushi-making will turn into a regular event in your kitchen with this excel-
lent and down-to-earth guide.
front cover (left to right, top to bottom): Nigiri with Dashi-marinated Roasted Bell Pepper;
Bouzushi with Vinegar-cured Mackerel; Gunkan-maki with Butter-sautéed Monterey Abalone;
Gunkan-maki with Salmon Roe; Nigiri with Grilled Eggplant; Hosomaki with Pickled Plum,
Cucumber, and Shiso; Sushi Rice–stuffed Monterey Squid with Sea Urchin; Nigiri with
California Halibut; Nigiri with Grilled King Trumpet Mushrooms and Mountain Caviar.
5 1. eye
6 2. nostrils
3. mouth
4. gill cover
2 5. spiny dorsal fin
1
6. soft dorsal fin
4 8 7 7. caudal (tail) fin
12
3 13 8. lateral line
9. anal fin
1 0. vent
10 9 11. pelvic fins
11 12. pectoral fins
13. scales
A Visual Guide to
at Home
Sushi-Making
Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani
Photographs by Antonis Achilleos
CHRONICLE BOOKS
SAN FRANCISCO
Text copyright © 2014 by Hiro Sone Acknowledgments
and Lissa Doumani.
Having grown up on a small rice farm, I appreci-
Photographs copyright © 2014 by ate the hard work that goes into growing rice.
Antonis Achilleos. Long and backbreaking hours are spent planting
the rice, harvesting it, and hoping the weather
All rights reserved. No part of this does not destroy the crop. Without rice farmers
book may be reproduced in any we would not have this critical ingredient in
form without written permission sushi-making.
from the publisher. —Hiro
Library of Congress Cataloging-in- We would like to first thank the fishermen who
Publication Data available. go out each and every day—tirelessly—to bring
back the bounty of the sea that allows us to
ISBN 978-1-4521-0710-3 (hc) make such beautiful sushi. Theirs is a hard life
ISBN 978-1-4521-3039-2 (ebook) with limited rewards for them but boundless
rewards for all of us who consume their fish.
We hope that by working together we can keep
their profession viable for them and for the
oceans they draw from.
A big thank you to Tom Worthington of
Monterey Fish, who kept us on track with
information and tirelessly answered all of our
questions—and there are so many factors to con-
Designed by Vanessa Dina
sider when writing about fish, from availability
Prop styling by Christine Wolheim
to nomenclature! He has been providing us
Food styling by Hiro Sone and
with the highest quality fish since we opened
Lissa Doumani
our first restaurant, Terra.
Thank you to Lorena Jones, who had the
Typesetting by DC Type
crazy notion to ask a couple of non–sushi chefs
to create a book that could be understood by
The authors wish to thank Susan
cooks of all levels, and for the patience she
Naderi Johnston for her help with
showed when we went so deeply into under-
the What to Drink with Sushi text.
standing the anatomy of fish and how to break
them down.
Thanks also to Sarah Billingsley, who edited
a book that was so very technical on a subject
Chronicle Books LLC
that was not familiar to her. She showed angelic
680 Second Street
patience when we came back time and time
San Francisco, California 94107
again to correct the small details that mean so
www.chroniclebooks.com
much to us. Many times we all ended up laugh-
ing at where things got crossed up.
Vanessa Dina was able to interpret our
vision so beautifully; her patience and gentle
guidance has brought together a stunning
book. Thank you also to the rest of the team
at Chronicle Books.
To the sushi lovers: Yes, you. We are one
with you and love the passion and exuberance
you have for sushi. You have helped sushi become
one of the most important cuisines in the world.
To feed our passion, let’s think about sustain-
ability and respect the land and the oceans we
are a part of.
—Lissa and Hiro
S
T
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Introduction 8 T How to Make Sushi Vinegar (Sushi‑zu) 111
N
O
Sushi Styles and a Word on Sashimi 14 C How to Toast Nori 112
S
Choosing Fish and Shellfish 17 T How to Make Hand Water (Tezu) 113
N
E
Sushi Etiquette 18 T How to Make Dashi 114
N
O
What to Drink with Sushi 20 C How to Make Vegetarian Dashi 115
S
The Sushi Pantry and Tool Kit 26 T Dashi-flavored Rolled Omelet
N
E (Dashi-maki Tamago) 116
Ingredients 26 T
N
O How to Make Soy Glaze (Tsume) 118
Condiments and Garnishes 31 C
S How to Make Ponzu (Soy‑Citrus)
Tools and Equipment 35 T
N
Sauce 119
E
T
N How to Make Pickled Ginger (Gari) 120
O
Sushi Basics C
S How to Make Spicy Grated Daikon
T
How to Break Down Flatfish 43 N (Momiji Oroshi) 121
E
How to Slice Flatfish Fillet for Nigiri 51 NT
O
How to Break Down Round Fish 54 C Hand-Formed Sushi
S
T
How to Slice Round Fish Fillet N (Nigiri-zushi)
E
for Nigiri 64 T
N
How to Break Down Small Fish 69 O How to Make Nigiri‑zushi
C
(Hand‑formed Sushi) 124
S
How to Slice Small Fish Fillet for Nigiri 74 T
N Nigiri with Albacore (Binchomaguro/
E
How to Break Down Bonito (Katsuo) 75 T Tombo) 129
N
How to Make Seared Bonito CO Nigiri with Tuna (Maguro) 131
(Katsuo no Tataki) 78 S
T Nigiri with Soy-marinated Tuna
N
How to Slice Bonito (Katsuo), Seared E (Maguro no zuke) 132
T
Bonito (Katsuo no Tataki), or Small Tuna N
O Nigiri with West Coast King Salmon
(Maguro) for Nigiri 80 C
S (Sake) 133
How to Slice Tuna (Maguro) for Nigiri 81 NT
E Nigiri with California Halibut
How to Scrape Tuna (Maguro) 92 NT (Hirame) 134
O
How to Break Down Sardines (Iwashi) 93 C Nigiri with California Halibut Aspic
S
How to Break Down Eel 99 NT (Hirame no Nikogori) 136
E
How to Break Down Squid (Ika) 100 T Nigiri with Sea Bass (Suzuki) 137
N
O
How to Break Down Geoduck Clam C Nigiri with Kombu-cured Big Island
(Mirugai) 101 TS Amberjack (Kanpachi no Kombu-jime) 138
N
How to Break Down and Cook TE Nigiri with Seared Bonito
N
Octopus (Tako) 102 O (Katsuo no Tataki) 139
C
How to Slice Octopus (Tako) for Nigiri S Nigiri with True Snapper (Madai) 140
T
from Whole Octopus 103 EN Nigiri with Olive Oil–marinated Sardines
T
Vinegar-cured Mackerel (Shime Saba) 104 N (Iwashi) 142
O
How to Make Sushi Rice (Sushi‑meshi C Nigiri with Vinegar-cured Mackerel
S
or Shari) 105 NT (Shime Saba) 143
E
How to Make Sushi Rice Balls 108 T Nigiri with Poached Shrimp (Ebi) 144
N
O
C
S
T
N
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T
N
O
C
S
T
N
E
T
N
O
C
S
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Nigiri with Santa Barbara Spot Prawns T Sushi Rolls (Maki-zushi)
N
(Botan Ebi) 146 O
C How to Make Hosomaki (Skinny Rolls) 182
Nigiri with Sea Scallops (Hotate-gai) 147 S
T
N Hosomaki with Tuna (Maguro) 187
Nigiri with Cherrystone Clams E
T
(Hamaguri) 150 N Hosomaki with Squid (Ika) and Natto 188
O
C Hosomaki with Herring Roe
Nigiri with Geoduck Clam (Mirugai) 151 S
T (Kazunoko) 190
N
Nigiri with Conger Eel (Anago) 152
E
T Hosomaki with Cucumber (Ky¯uri) 191
Nigiri with Octopus (Tako) 155 N
O
C Hosomaki with Pickled Plum (Uméboshi),
Nigiri with Dashi-flavored Rolled Omelet S Cucumber (Kyu¯ri), and Shiso 193
T
(Dashi-maki Tamago) 157 N
E California Roll 194
T
Nigiri with Pickled Turnip N
O Lobster Roll 196
(Kabu no Tsukemono) 158 C
S How to Make Temaki (Hand Rolls) 198
Nigiri with Braised Daikon 159 T
N
E Temaki with Salmon Skin
Nigiri with Grilled Shiitake T
N (Sake no Kawa) 201
Mushrooms 160 O
C
Temaki with Spicy Tuna
Nigiri with Grilled King Trumpet S
T
Mushrooms (Eringi) and Mountain N (Piri-kara Maguro) 202
E
T
Caviar (Tonburi) 162 N
O
Nigiri with Grilled Eggplant C Sushi Bowls (Sushi Don)
S
(Yaki Nasu) 163 T
N and Other Types of Sushi
E
Nigiri with Dashi-marinated Roasted T
N Sushi Bowl with Chopped Tuna and
Bell Pepper (Piiman) 165 O
C Green Onion (Maguro Negi Don) 206
How to Make Gunkan‑maki S
(Warship Rolls) 166 NT Sushi Bowl with Soy-marinated Tuna
TE (Maguro no Zuke Don) 208
Gunkan-maki with Broiled Sake-marinated N
O Sushi Bowl with Wild Salmon and
Black Cod (Gindara) 168 C
S Salmon Roe (Sake Ikura Don) 209
T
Gunkan-maki with Horse Mackerel (Aji) N
E Sushi Bowl with Sea Urchin and
and Japanese Ginger (My¯oga) 169 T
N Salmon Roe (Uni Ikura Don) 211
O
Gunkan-maki with Lightly Poached
C
Scattered Sushi (Chirashi-zushi) 212
West Coast Oysters (Kaki) 170 S
T
N Bouzushi with Vinegar-cured Mackerel
Gunkan-maki with Butter-sautéed E
T (Shime Saba) 214
Monterey Abalone (Awabi) 172 N
O
C Stuffed Sushi in a Soybean Pouch
Gunkan-maki with West Coast
TS (Inari-zushi) 216
Sea Urchin (Uni) 173 N
Gunkan-maki with Salmon Roe (Ikura) 174 NTE Sushi Rice–stuffed Monterey Squid (Ika)
O with Sea Urchin (Uni) 218
Gunkan-maki with Grilled Cod Milt C
S
(Shirako) 175 T
N
Gunkan-maki with Three Slimes: TE Index 220
N
Okra, Mountain Yam, and Natto 177 O
C
Gunkan-maki with Avocado and S
T
Charred Jalapeño 178 N
E
T
N
O
C
S
T
N
E
T
N
O
C
Introduction
Sushi. When you hear that word, rice to the mix by trying to serve many Japanese restaurants, big
be honest; don’t you immediately sushi. At Ame, we fall into this and small, plain and fancy, such
ask yourself, Where can I go to category. One section of our abundance is relatively recent.
eat sushi right now? Fortunately, menu is devoted to sashimi, In the years preceding World
sushi is widely available these though it is not at all traditionally War II, Japanese eating estab-
days, especially in larger cities. prepared but instead influenced lishments were primarily simple
But even in smaller towns, you by the world’s cuisines. spots located in Japanese Ameri-
are likely to find at least a few can neighborhoods in towns in
We go out for sushi and sashimi
Japanese restaurants, and most Hawaii and on the West Coast.
at least once a week but usually
of them will have a couple of In the 1930s, New York boasted
twice. It is what we crave and what
sushi items on the menu. a handful of restaurants that
leaves us feeling well afterward.
catered to cosmopolitan diners
This is a dramatic change from We are traditionalists, preferring
who enjoyed tempura, teriyaki,
just thirty years ago when sushi pristine fish and a small accom-
and other unchallenging fare,
was popular only among trav elers paniment when appropriate,
but not sushi or sashimi. It was
and cooks and diners inter ested though we do enjoy watching the
only after the war that Japanese
in ethnic cuisines. Now, you can twists that sushi chefs have been
restaurants began appearing in
find sushi in your local grocery putting on traditional sushi vari-
greater numbers, and it was not
store, something that you don’t eties. These culinary masters have
until the late 1950s that sushi
even see in small mar kets in a natural curiosity that makes
was on the menu.
Japan. In bigger U.S. cities, you them want to grow and create.
can usually find a Japanese res- Some new ideas work; other Originally, only a handful of rolls
taurant within a square block or times, too many ingredients are (maki-zushi) were served: tuna,
two of any commer cial district. used and the fish gets lost. Not cucumber, marinated kampyō
Upscale Western-style eateries surprisingly, this happens most (dried gourd strips), and futomaki
have started to put sashimi on frequently with sushi rolls. (a thicker roll usually without raw
their menus, though most of fish). Back then (and still at some
Although, nowadays, diners in the
them are not yet ready to add places today), sushi was served
United States can choose from
8 A VISUAL GUIDE TO SUSHI-MAKING AT HOME
