Sushi Rice Balls Recipes

Instructions:

1. Simple Salmon and Nori Sushi Ball

Master the art of perfectly spherical sushi balls, starting with this straightforward smoked salmon recipe. A simple combination of Nori, cooked sushi rice, and salmon, it’s a delightfully simple appetizer that will look great on your table, no matter the occasion!

Ingredients:

25g (approx. 1 oz) cooked sushi rice
1 thin, square slice of smoked salmon
1 small square of Nori

Seasoning (optional) :

Soy sauce (to taste)
Wasabi

Utensils:

1 sheet of cling film (approx. 30 cm wide)
Chopping board
Glass bowls (for toppings and rice)

Method:

Using your fingers, transfer 25g of cooked sushi rice to the center of the cling film sheet. Bring the corners of the cling film sheet together to form a make-shift bag, and then twist it at the center, as close to the rice as possible. This compacts the rice, forcing it into a ball. Gently squeeze out any pockets of trapped air.
Once you have formed a spherical shape with the rice, unwrap the cling film and set it aside. Next, layer the smoked salmon square onto your rice ball, using your fingers to gently push down the corners. Top with a square of Nori, shiny-side up.
Transfer the rice ball back onto the cling film; this time with the toppings face down. Wrap the cling film around the ball once more, then twist it at the center as tightly as you can. This will help the toppings adhere to the rice.
Finally, unwrap the rice ball and place onto a flat plate. Serve with a drizzle of soy sauce or Wasabi on the plate for contrast, or neatly arranged with a variety of sushi balls to enhance its aesthetic appeal.

2. Salmon and Kewpie Mayo Parcel Sushi Ball

A slight twist on the Simple Salmon and Nori Sushi Ball Recipe, this parcel sushi ball looks far more complex than it really is. Salmon, Kewpie mayonnaise, and silky egg yolk come together in a beautiful parcel of delicate flavors, topped with a single salmon egg!

Ingredients:

25g (approx. 1 oz) cooked sushi rice
1 thin, square slice of smoked salmon
2 thin strips of Nori (approx. 5mm wide)

Utensils:

1 sheet of cling film (approx. 30 cm wide)
Chopping board
Glass bowls (for the toppings and rice)

For the Topping:

Kewpie mayonnaise
Silky egg yolk
Salmon eggs (roe)

Method:

Place 25g (approx. 1 oz) of cooked sushi rice onto the center of your cling film. Bring the corners of the cling film together, and begin twisting the cling film just above the rice. Keep twisting the cling film until it is tight, ensuring there are no air pockets. This acts to compact the rice, so that you end up with a spherical ball.
Unwrap the cling film, and gently place the rice ball onto your chopping board. Lower the smoked salmon square onto the ball, using your fingers to gently push down the corners. Next, take a thin strip of Nori and place this horizontally across the salmon. Take care not to pull the Nori down over the sides, as it is prone to tearing. You may need to pick up the ball to curl each end of the Nori strip underneath it. Repeat this process to layer a vertical strip across the salmon, pressing it very gently to help it adhere to the sushi rice.
Place the rice ball back onto the sheet of cling film, remembering to position the ball so that the topping is face-down. Twist the cling film as before, gently compressing and compacting the ball, before unwrapping it again.
To decorate your sushi ball, first pipe a small swirl of Kewpie mayonnaise onto the central point where your Nori strips cross over. Next, add a light sprinkling of silky egg yolk, either using a teaspoon, or your fingers. Top with a single salmon egg to finish.

Serving tip: If you have already made several of our Simple Salmon and Nori Sushi Balls, arrange them on a plate, positioning roe topped balls between them for contrast.

3. Tuna Wrapped Masago Sushi BallCrafted from thin strips of sushi grade tuna and Nori, and topped with contrasting masago, this is a delightful wrapped sushi gift that will delight your dinner guests.

Ingredients:

25g (approx. 1 oz) cooked sushi rice
2 strips of sushi grade tuna, thinly sliced.
3 thin strips of Nori (approx. 5mm wide)

Utensils:

1 sheet of cling film (approx. 30 cm wide)
Chopping board
Glass bowls (for the toppings and rice)

For the Topping:

Masago
Black masago or caviar (for contrast)

Method:

Place 25g (approx. 1 oz) of cooked white sushi rice onto a sheet of cling film, then bring up the corners with your fingers to form a bag. Pinch the cling film just above the ball, and twist it until the rice is compacted into a ball.
Unwrap the cling film and return the rice ball to your chopping board. Then, take a strip of sushi grade tuna and layer this horizontally across the ball. Use your fingers to gently manipulate it around the ball, and either slice off the ends if too long, or curl them underneath the ball. Repeat this process with the second strip of tuna, creating a cross design atop your rice ball. Next, take a strip of Nori and layer it over the sushi ball at a forty-five degree angle to the tuna (diagonally). Tuck the ends underneath the ball, and repeat the process the opposite way using the second strip of Nori. Finally, wind a single Nori strip around the circumference of the ball at the widest point, using your fingers to gently press either end into the rice. The moisture from the rice will help it to adhere.
Wrap the entire ball in a sheet of cling film once more with the top of the design face-down. Twist the cling film tightly to compress the contents, and then unwrap.
For the finishing touch to your sushi ball, teaspoon a generous amount of Masago onto the surface of the ball, using your fingers to shape if necessary. For added contrast, layer a smaller amount of black masago or caviar on top of the masago.

Serving tip: To enhance the beautiful contrast of these sushi balls, consider drizzling the plate with soy sauce. The dark hue will really enhance the color of the black roe against the lighter masago.

4. Pink Rice Edamame and Prawn Sushi Ball

This elegant sushi ball combines the subtle bite of raspberry pink rice with edamame and prawns-perfect for alfresco summer dining. If you’ve already mastered our other sushi balls, this whimsical pink creation will be a doddle to make!

Ingredients:

25g (approx. 1 oz) pink, raspberry sushi rice
Small cooked prawns

Utensils:

1 sheet of cling film (approx. 30 cm wide)
Chopping board
Glass bowls (for the toppings and rice)

For the Topping:

Kewpie mayonnaise
Silky egg yolk
1 Edamame bean pod

Method:

As before, wrap your rice in a strip of cling film and twist it as close to the rice as possible until tight. Once you have formed a compacted sphere, unwrap the cling film and set aside for re-use with the topping. Be sure to gently compress any air pockets or bubbles that appear, so that your rice is as compacted as possible.
Arrange two small prawns on top of your rice ball, leaving a hole at the center. Return the rice ball to the sheet of cling film, and repeat the compacting process detailed in step 1. This will compress the prawns into the bed of rice, so that they don’t fall off.
To create the decorative topping, pipe a generous swirl of Kewpie mayonnaise into the hole you have made with the prawns. Using a teaspoon, or your fingers, sprinkle a light dusting of silky egg yolk onto the mayonnaise, allowing it to fall naturally. Pop a single Edamame bean from the pod, and position this atop the silky egg yolk. Sprinkle a few finely chopped chives onto your sushi ball for decorative effect.

Serving tip: When creating a sushi plate for a dinner party or special occasion, pair lighter colored sushi balls, such as this pink one, with those of darker colors to broaden the spectrum of color on your plate. These would look spectacular with our Tuna Wrapped Masago Sushi Balls – the dark hue of the tuna being the perfect compliment to the pink raspberry rice.