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    Home » Recipes » Savoury

    Unagi Nigiri (BBQ Eel Sushi)

    Published: Apr 22, 2022 by Michelle · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Unagi Nigiri is a Japanese sushi made with BBQ or grilled freshwater eel on top of hand-formed sushi rice. It has a sweet and salty flavour with a rich, meaty texture.

    Unagi BBQ eel sushi on a plate with chopsticks on the side.

    What is unagi?

    Unagi is Japanese for "eel."

    Unagi sushi is a type of Japanese sushi consisting of sushi rice topped with cooked, grilled eel on top.

    A variation of this is Unagi Don, which is a dish of cooked white rice in a bowl topped with freshly grilled unagi (eel).

    Is the unagi raw?

    No, you cannot consume raw unagi.

    Unagi eel sushi is fully cooked -- usually smoked or grilled.

    The freshwater eel for nigiri is filleted, grilled and basted with a thick sweet soy sauce.

    Unagi is also used in Unagi Don (or unadon), which is a humble dish of grilled eel on rice.

    What is nigiri?

    Nigiri is a type of sushi made with rice.

    Fish or other toppings are placed on to oblong-shaped sushi rice which is formed by hand.

    What does unagi taste like?

    When slightly warmed, the texture of the unagi eel is firm yet tender, meaty, full of umami flavour and has a similar taste to fish.

    If served cold, it has a slight chewy texture.

    Tip: For the best taste, use a kitchen blowtorch to lightly warm up the eel before serving.

    Unagi BBQ eel nigiri sushi on a platter.

    Where can I find it?

    You can find unagi in Asian grocery stores, or supermarkets with sushi counters.

    It may be sold as a whole piece, or sliced into portions for sushi.

    Sometimes it will come with unagi sauce, which is a thick sweet soy glaze.

    Why this recipe works

    This Unagi Nigiri recipe is really easy, especially when you can pick up prepared BBQ grilled eel.

    It costs less money to make at home, compared to enjoying it at a sushi restaurant.

    If you have guests who don't like raw sashimi fish, grilled eel is a great introduction since it's fully cooked.

    Since these are hand-formed, there's no need use a bamboo mat to form the sushi rice into rolled sushi, which makes this recipe very straightforward to follow.

    Unagi nigiri sushi on a white plate.

    Ingredients you'll need

    • grilled BBQ eel: you can buy it already prepared
    • unagi sauce: usually comes with the grilled BBQ eel; a thickened sauce of soy, mirin, sake and sugar; if you're in a pinch, you can substitute with teriyaki sauce
    • freshly cooked sushi rice: is short-grain rice that has been seasoned with rice vinegar and sugar, still warm so it's easy to work with
    • toasted sesame seeds
    • nori (seaweed): dry unseasoned seaweed; cut into strips about 1 cm in diameter

    You can find these ingredients in Japanese/Asian supermarkets.

    How to make it

    If the unagi is whole, use a sharp knife to cut it into equal pieces about 1" in diameter, about 10-12g each.

    Wet your hands and form about 15g of the sushi rice into small oblong shaped pieces.

    Place the grilled eel on top of the rice. Lightly brush the top of the eel with unagi sauce.

    Take a strip of nori and wrap it around the middle.

    Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top of the eel.

    Repeat with the remainder.

    BBQ grilled eel nigiri on a plate with chopsticks on the side.

    How to serve

    Serve the unagi nigiri with other sushi, such as Aburi-Style Smoked Salmon Oshi Sushi.

    It is best served on the same day it is made.

    Try it paired with some Seaweed Salad (Wakame), pickled ginger, or slices of cucumber.

    How to store

    Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.

    Optional additions

    For extra creaminess, try adding avocado slices.

    Micro pea shoots or cucumber would pair well with the flavourful grilled eel.

    Expert tips

    Be sure to use freshly cooked, warm sushi rice when forming the rice mounds.

    Cool or cold rice will not stick together.

    To reheat the unagi, a simple way is to remove the nori seaweed strips and use a blow torch to lightly flame the eel, similar to aburi-style sushi.

    Other recipes you may like

    Be sure to check out these recipes:

    Aburi-Style Smoked Salmon Oshi Sushi

    Easy Spam & Egg Musubi

    Cold Salmon Noodle Bowl

    Easy Seaweed Salad (Wakame)

    Homemade Spicy Ahi Tuna Poke Bowls

    Spicy Tuna Onigiri

    Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!

    BBQ eel sushi on a plate with chopsticks on the side.

     

    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Unagi Nigiri (BBQ Eel Sushi)

    Unagi Nigiri is a Japanese sushi made with BBQ or grilled freshwater eel on top of hand-formed sushi rice. It has a sweet and salty, rich, meaty texture.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course, Snack
    Cuisine: Japanese
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 34kcal
    Author: Michelle

    For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.

    Ingredients

    • 1 pkg BBQ grilled unagi (eel)
    • 1 C cooked sushi rice warm
    • 2 tablespoon unagi sauce
    • strips of nori seaweed
    • toasted sesame seeds
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • If the unagi is whole, use a sharp knife to cut it into equal pieces about 1" in diameter, about 10-12g each.
    • Wet your hands and form about 15g of the sushi rice into small oblong shaped pieces.
    • Place the grilled eel on top of the rice. Lightly brush the top of the eel with unagi sauce.
    • Take a strip of nori and wrap it around the middle.
    • Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top of the eel.
    • Repeat with the remainder.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg

    The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.

    Did you try this recipe?Mention @siftandsimmer or tag #siftandsimmer!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linsey

      April 24, 2022 at 3:02 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, they look so professionally made!!! Save money still can enjoy eating restaurant style of sushi at home! Easy to follow instructions too! Thanks Michelle!

      Reply
    2. David @ Spiced

      April 25, 2022 at 5:00 am

      5 stars
      I do enjoy sushi and nigiri, but I don't have much experience when it comes to eel. I didn't realize it can't be eaten raw. The idea of smoking that eel sounds awesome though! It lets me combine my love for smoking with sushi - and I normally wouldn't put those two together!!

      Reply

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    My name is Michelle and Sift & Simmer is a food recipe blog featuring easy, creative and delicious recipes. I believe that the best food is made from scratch. Read More…

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