Hotate nigiri, aka sea scallop nigiri, is always a sushi afficionado favorite. This type of sushi relies on very little actual skill, and almost entirely on getting the best quality seafood as you can. I am of course referencing other types of nigiri that involve aging or fancy cutting techniques (or both) like saba (mackerel) and kohada (gizzard shad) for example.
With hotate nigiri the most important thing is getting a scallop as fresh as possible. Unlike other nigiri where the neta (topping) can be marinated or pressed, the scallop should always be served raw. A bad scallop can ruin your day!
What Is Hotate Nigiri
Hotate is the Japanese word for sea scallop. Therefore a hotate nigiri is most often a large, butterflied scallop on a small mound of rice (shari). Wasabi is often, but not always applied, and the same goes for the band of seaweed that ties everything together.
A popular condiment for hotate nigiri is a thin brushing of ponzu, although every chef will have their own preference. Sometimes they will be brushed with soy sauce or nikiri, and sometimes just a few drops of yuzu or sudachi.
The most revered scallop used for hotate nigiri is called the Hokkaido scallop, found off the waters of Japan’s northernmost large island. The scallop should be large enough to drape over the rice beautifully (to the chagrin of those looking to save money).
Hotate Nigiri Recipe
For this recipe you will need your sushi rice (shari or sumeshi), your scallops, and some ponzu shoyu. Optionally you can also use wasabi, seaweed, and soy sauce/nikiri, or citrus juice instead of the ponzu.
Lay your scallop on the cutting board and butterfly it with a sharp knife. To butterfly means to cut almost all the way through, but not completely. Then you can flip the scallop open so it is twice the length.
Steps
- Place the butterflied scallop in your left hand with the cut sides facing upward.
- Form the shari (rice) with your right hand.
- Use your right pointer finger to smear some wasabi (optionally) on the scallop and press the shari into it.
- Use your hand and fingers to form the nigiri, creating a nice seal between the rice and scallop.
- Wrap the center of the nigiri with a thin strip of seaweed (optional)
- Brush the hotate nigiri with some ponzu shoyu (or your choice of topping) and enjoy!
Sushi Terms Used In This Article
nigiri: a type of sushi made of a small ball of rice with a topping(s)
hotate: sea scallop
neta: the topping of the rice in nigiri. It is often used to refer to the fish, but can be anything on top of the fish as well.
shari: sushi rice
sumeshi: another name for shari or sushi rice
wasabi: a Japanese root similar to horseradish with a slight spice and pungent, floral notes.
ponzu shoyu: a Japanese condiment made from soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, katsuobushi (dried tuna) flakes, and seaweed, and the juice of a citrus, commonly yuzu or sudachi.
nikiri: reduced soy sauce, often with other ingredients like sugar, rice wine, and kelp stock. It is commonly brushed on nigiri before serving
sudachi: a Japanese citrus that is a cross between a yuzu lemon and a tachibana orange.
saba: mackerel
kohada: gizzard shad
For more terms, see GLOSSARY