Edo-style nigiri sushi

Transfer the cooked short-grain rice to a hangiri; the wood absorbs excess moisture and stops it cooling too quickly and turning too firm.

Mix the steaming rice with rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt, cutting the vinegar mixture in with a wooden spatula rather than mixing, so the grains are not damaged and the starches not overworked.

Cover the rice with a cloth and keep warm until service.

Grate fresh wasabi on a sharkskin grater.

With vinegar-moistened fingers take a small pad of rice in one hand and a slice of fish in the other; smear the fish with a hint of wasabi.

Press rice and fish firmly together with two fingers, turn over and press again.