Sushi basics · 4 min read
What is the difference between nigiri and maki?
Two words appear on almost every sushi menu. They describe entirely different techniques, and knowing which is which makes ordering much easier.
Nigiri: fish over pressed rice
Nigiri is a small oblong of hand-pressed rice with a slice of fish laid over it, often with a trace of wasabi between the two. There is no roll and usually no seaweed.
It is the purest test of a sushi chef: the rice must be warm and loosely packed, the fish cut along the right grain.
Maki: rolled and sliced
Maki is rice and filling rolled inside a sheet of nori, then cut into six or eight pieces. Fillings can be raw fish, cooked seafood, vegetables or a combination.
Maki is more forgiving and more flexible, which is why creative rolls almost always belong to this family.
How to eat each one
Nigiri is best eaten in one bite, fish side down into the soy sauce if you use any - never rice first, which soaks and falls apart.
Maki can be eaten with fingers or chopsticks and takes soy sauce more happily.
Frequently asked
- Is temaki a type of maki?
- It is closely related: temaki is a hand-rolled cone of nori filled with rice and fish, eaten immediately while the seaweed is still crisp.
- Which should a beginner order?
- Start with a maki roll you recognise and add two pieces of salmon or sea bass nigiri. It gives you both textures without commitment.
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