Kampachi Kombujime Nigiri (With Candied Gari)

This kampachi kombujime nigiri is a wonderful (in my opinion) fusion of traditional Edomae style sushi preparation with a modern twist. Kampachi, or Greater Amberjack, is a delicious firm-fleshed fish that really benefits from the aging process that is kombujime. Along with the fish and rice, this nigiri is brushed with nikiri and topped with candied gari. In this guide I will walk you through the step by step process for how to make this piece.

If you do not know how to make sushi rice yet then you can read my full article here. I do not add the walkthrough to every sushi recipe as it takes up a lot of space, and learning how to make the rice should be something one does separately and before making the actual nigiri.

What Is Kombujime

Kombujime is a traditional fish aging method in which a piece of fish is placed between sheets of kombu (edible seaweed) that have been hydrated and salted. The packet is wrapped tightly and allowed to age for anywhere from 1-5 days (some crazy people age for weeks, but I do not recommend that for home cooks).

For this recipe I am aging a fillet of kampachi for 3 days. I go deeper into the kombujime method but this article will contain all you need to know for this specific nigiri.

How To Fillet And Age A Kampachi

In this example I will use kampachi (Greater Amberjack) to show the kombujime method. This is a great fish to cure and is easy to butcher as well, which makes it great for beginners. This fish is often called ‘yellowtail’ but in Japan the true yellowtail is the Japanese amberjack.

Kampachi is one of the easiest fish to fillet, which is good because I used my basic chef’s knife (gyuto) instead of my deba which would be the proper hardware to use here. Using the correct knife is important, but if you don’t have a deba then you should use what you have on hand.

Begin by removing the head by slicing diagonally right behind the front fins. Slice all the way to the spine on both sides, then ‘off with the head’ as they say.

Next make angled slices on the top and bottom of the fish until you reach the spinal column. Make an incision near the tail and slide the knife from the back of the fish to where the head was. You will cut through some small bones, which are easy to remove later.

Then you will have two beautiful kampachi fillets perfect for making kombujime!

Finally use your knife to cut away the belly bones while preserving as much meat as possible. Use fish tweezers to remove the bones you previously cut through et voila you have two skin on, boneless fillets of greater amberjack!

Skin On Or Off?

Traditionally this method leaves the skin on the fish. Scalding water is quickly poured over the skin and then the fillet is plunged into ice water. This tightens the flesh and helps release some of the fat underneath the skin.

Kampachi is a rather firm-fleshed fish with little fat content so for this example the skin was removed. It is entirely up to you if you want to remove the skin now, or later, or keep it on completely and slice fish for some aburi action later on.

Making Kombujime For Aging Fish

To make kombujime you need to first soften the kombu. Place your pieces of dry kombu in a bowl of salt water until they are soft and rehydrated. Depending on the thickness this can take anywhere from five to twenty minutes.

Lay down some plastic wrap on your workspace, followed by a layer of seaweed. Sprinkle a little salt on the seaweed directly, but not too much. You also don’t need to overlap the seaweed much; You only need enough for a layer to completely cover the fish.

Place a top layer of kombu along with a sprinkle of salt over the fish and wrap up with the plastic. Make sure to press out as much air as possible, but do not smash the fish. Then place the neat little packet into the fridge to age.

After three days take the packet out of the refrigerator and peel off the kombu. As you can see in the before and after photos, the fish has darkened. It has also gained a firmer texture. Now it is ready for slicing for nigiri.

Making The Kampachi Kombujime Nigiri

1. Use a very sharp knife to make shallow, lengthwise cuts down the piece of fish. This is optional, but creates the beautiful striations in color when you brush on the nikiri.
2. Place the slice of aged kampachi between the palm and fingers of your left hand (reverse if you are left handed)
3. Form the shari with your right hand.
4. Use your hand and fingers to form the nigiri, creating a nice seal between the rice and fish, and expanding the beautiful cut work. You can place wasabi between the fish and rice if you wish, but it is entirely optional in this recipe.
5. Brush with nikiri or shoyu and top with the candied gari.

Candied Gari?

Gari is a Japanese condiment that often accompanies sushi. You might have seen it dyed bright pink, but traditionally it is just the color of the ginger. Gari is often grated and used as a nigiri topping but this time I decided to mince it and candy it in a little sugar.

To make your own, finely chop or mince about three tablespoons of pickled ginger. Add two teaspoons of sugar to a pan on medium heat and let melt. When the sugar gets clear, before turning to caramel, add in the ginger and stir then turn off the heat and remove from the pan.

The candied ginger will be a large clump so let it cool and place it into a fukin or between two sheets of paper and whack it with the back of a spoon.

Sushi Terms Used In This Article