Sushi has a long history in southeast Asia harking back to the fourth century, when raw fish was gutted, salted and placed inside a fistful of cooked rice where it could be preserved for months. The fish was eaten and the rice, discarded. In the 1800’s the Japanese began making Nigiri Sushi: a dumpling-sized ball of rice was topped with a slice of fish, and eaten on the spot. The Japanese word “nigiri” means “to squeeze in the fist” which is how I made these versions of nigiri, one with salmon, the other vegan. Begin your day by creating this dish, and you’ll already have one project under your belt.
Delicious. Edible. Art.

Ingredients to serve 2
½ cup cooked brown rice or ½ cup cooked white sushi rice or a combo
¼ pound poached salmon
1 pink radish, sliced
1 lotus root, sliced and fried in safflower oil
1 lotus root, sliced and pickled in ume plum vinegar
½ cucumber, sliced
1 carrot, spiralized
a few chicory leaves, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
Soy sauce, optional

Process
Squeeze a fistful of cooked rice and mold it into a ball, a small log or any shape that suits you.
Build and sculpt your nigiri around the rice, using salmon, pink radish, fried and pickled lotus root, cucumber, carrot, chicory leaves and scallion. Serve with pickled ginger and/or soy sauce.