Sumi ika nigiri

Sumi ika nigiri is a traditional type of nigiri sushi. It consists of hand-pressed sushi rice that's topped with slices of golden spineless cuttlefish (sumi ika, meaning ink squid), which is a mollusk. The golden spineless cuttlefish is very soft and has a delicate and sweet flavor and a chewy texture. The best season for enjoying this nigiri sushi is from winter to spring. If very fresh, sumi ika is served raw, if not, it's usually quickly boiled in a mixture of sake, sugar, and shoyu, then brushed with tsume sauce. This type of nigiri is expensive and very rare, so it can be a bit difficult to find it. It's recommended to serve sumi ika nigiri with pickled ginger (gari) and wasabi on the side.