【Reading】しゃりだま

【English Name】Rice ball

A shari-dama is a small bale-shaped (tawara) mound of vinegared rice (shari) formed in the palm when making nigiri sushi. It is the foundation of nigiri sushi and is regarded as one element in which a sushi artisan's skill is plainly expressed.

The typical weight is roughly 15 to 20 grams, varying slightly by shop and artisan. The basic shape is a plump, oval bale form, and the ideal is for it to crumble just right when placed in the mouth. By incorporating an appropriate amount of air inside, it is said to create a sense of unity with the topping and a pleasant melt-in-the-mouth quality.

There are various theories about the origin of the word "shari." The widely known one holds that it derives from the Buddhist term "busshari" (the relics of the Buddha), whose white grains resembled grains of rice. There are several methods for forming a shari-dama, such as "kotegaeshi" and "hontegaeshi," and the style differs by artisan.

At conveyor-belt sushi restaurants and for takeout sushi, shari-dama robots (vinegared-rice forming machines) are often used, enabling mass production with uniform shape and weight. On the other hand, high-end sushi restaurants are particular about how air is incorporated and how temperature is managed through hand-forming, and some artisans adjust the size and firmness of the shari-dama for each topping.