Tamago Nigiri (Japanese Omelette Sushi)

Sweet, layered Japanese omelette on hand-pressed sushi rice, held with a strip of nori.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 1h 5m
Cook: 30 min
Total: 1 hour 35 minutes
Vegetarian
✅
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • 200g sushi rice
  • 240ml cold water
  • For the sushi vinegar: 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • For the sushi vinegar: 2 tsp caster sugar
  • For the sushi vinegar: 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil, for cooking
  • 1 sheet nori, cut into 12 strips about 1.5cm wide
  • A small bowl of water mixed with 1 tbsp rice vinegar, for wetting your hands
  • Light soy sauce, for dipping
  • Pickled sushi ginger, to serve

Method

  1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water, rubbing the grains gently, for about 2 minutes until the water runs almost clear. Drain, then put the rice in a lidded saucepan with the 240ml cold water and soak for 30 minutes.

  2. Bring to the boil over a high heat, cover tightly, reduce to the lowest heat and cook for 12 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from the heat and leave, covered, for 10 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, stir the sushi vinegar ingredients together in a small bowl until the sugar and salt have dissolved, warming for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave if needed.

  4. Tip the rice into a wide, non-metallic bowl, pour over the vinegar mixture and fold gently with a spatula using cutting strokes, fanning the rice as you go, for about 5 minutes until glossy and cooled to room temperature. Cover with a damp tea towel until needed.

  5. Beat the eggs with the sugar, mirin, soy sauce and salt until just combined, then strain through a sieve.

  6. Heat a small non-stick frying pan, about 18cm, over a medium-low heat and wipe with oil on kitchen paper. Pour in a quarter of the egg mixture, tilting to coat the base, and cook until almost set. Roll up and push to one end of the pan.

  7. Oil the pan again, pour in another quarter of the mixture, lifting the roll so the egg runs underneath, and roll up again. Repeat to build up 4 layers, then press the omelette into a neat block on a board and leave to cool.

  8. Trim the sides and cut the omelette into 12 slices about 1cm thick. Wet your hands in the bowl of vinegared water, shape about 20g of rice into an oval, top with a slice of omelette and wrap a strip of nori around the middle.

  9. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.