Zuwaigani, or zuwai kani, is a snow crab. It is very much loved by Japanese and extremely popular at sushi restaurants. While crab is not a traditional Edomae style sushi, I still prefer to use akazu shari for zuwaigani nigiri as I find the flavors extremely complimentary.
Because there are no real traditional rules pertaining to crab sushi you can really do it however you like. I even make temaki and gunkanmaki with the scraps (or whatever meat I mess up pulling out of the shell). A crab nigiri is a beautifully presented treat however so I suggest making it if you can.
How To Make Snow Crab Nigiri
To make a nigiri from snow crab you should first steam the crab for 5-7 minutes. You can also boil it in saltwater if you do not have a steamer, although I find steaming makes it easier to remove the meat from the shell.
The first leg segment is going to be best for nigiri as it is large enough and tends to hold shape the best. The rest of the legs as well as the body meat can be used for hand rolls or gunkanmaki.
Once you have the crab steamed remove the meat from the shell taking care to keep it as whole as possible. Then form a small mound of rice with your hand and place the crab meat on top. Unlike with most fish nigiri you cannot really press the rice to create a seal as it will damage the delicate crab meat, so I recommend wrapping a thin strip of nori around the middle to hold it together.
What Else To Make With Zuwaigani?
Because you can only get a few pieces of nigiri appropriate meat from crab legs, there is plenty left over for other types of sushi. I like to use the second leg segments and the claw for temaki, or hand rolls.
I also like to make gunkanmaki (battleship roll) with the smallest scraps along with a little shichimi togarashi mayonnaise. Like I said, crab is not a traditional ingredient so you can have lots of fun with it. I just recommend focusing on enjoying the natural sweetness in crab meat.
Like with all sushi, the most important part is actually the rice, not the topping. Read all about how to make perfect sushi rice before you begin your sushi making journey!
Sushi Terms Used In This Article
zuwaigani: (ズワイガニ) the Japanese word for snow crab, also zuwai kani
edomae: a Japanese word that means ‘in front of Edo’ and references sushi made in the traditional Edo period style.
nigiri: a type of sushi made of a small ball of rice with a topping(s)
akazu: red vinegar made from sake lees (byproduct of sake making) commonly used in Edomae style sushi preparations
shari: sushi rice
nigiri: a type of sushi made of a small ball of rice with a topping(s)
temaki: a sushi hand roll, often seen in a cone shape but can also mean ones in a ‘taco’ shape as well (seaweed instead of tortilla)
gunkan: a type of sushi where a strip of seaweed is wrapped around a mound of rice, leaving room at the top for a filling that would traditionally spill off a nigiri
neta: sushi topping
nori: a type of edible seaweed used in various Japanese culinary fields
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