How to Make Perfect Sushi in 5 Easy Steps According to Jiro’s Protégé

If you want the greatest sushi in the world, you may want to visit Sukiyabashi Jiro from “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” in Japan. If you can’t go to Japan, then you might be able to land a reservation — which is extremely hard to get — at Sushi Nakazawa in New York where Master Sushi Chef Daisuke Nakazawa, protégé of the master, Jiro Ono, will serve you omakase Monday through Friday.

Of course, there’s always the do-it-yourself alternative. Here, Chef Nakazawa shows Bloomberg’s Olivia Sterns how to make perfect sushi in five simple steps:

Here’s the breakdown:

Step 1: Cut the Fish. With one clean slice from his “sword,” Nakazawa cuts a strip of what looks like red snapper about 6 cm (2.5 inches) long, 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide, and about 1 cm (.4 inches) thick.

Step 2: Add Rice. Nakazawa starts by getting his hands wet in a mixture of vinegar and water. He takes the vinegared rice and forms it into a thumb-shaped block.

Step 3: Dab on Wasabi. The wasabi, handpicked and freshly ground, needs just a little dab right in the middle of the slice of fish. That side of the fish will go face down on the rice.

Step 4: Nigiri. Nakazawa now places the fish on the formed piece of rice and presses on it in his palm, shaping the nigiri.

Step 5: Garnish. Nakazawa grabs a kitchen blowtorch and fires the nigiri for about three seconds — some of the rice is lightly blackened. He then squeezes some lemon on the top and adds a small amount of what looks to be radish (daikon).

Only a master could have made it look so easy. Itadakimasu!

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