I’m tired of paying $20 or more for only a few pieces of sushi when I go out. That’s why I decided to make my own at home for half the price and twice as much in servings. I bought all of my ingredients at H Mart in Carrollton, TX.

First, find the freshest fish of your choice. H Mart has a “Sashimi” section where I picked out a good portion of salmon for $6 (makes for about 16 pieces of nigiri). They also offer tuna, yellow tail, scallop, octopus, squid, salmon roe and flying fish roe. Next you need rice. Most people opt for the rice cooker, but since I’m on a budget (and I don’t have a cooker) I bought the individually packaged rice bowls which you can microwave in 2 minutes and tastes just as good as the former. This is my favorite brand and I estimated 2 (about 4 cups) to be the right number for the size of the fish.

Make sure you have all the side items you need to make your sushi meal complete. You’ll need soy sauce (I prefer Kikkoman), pickled ginger, a tube of wasabi and sushi vinegar to mix in the rice (I randomly picked this brand).

When you’re ready to start, put the whole, uncut salmon (or other fish) in a bowl full of cold water and a splash of vinegar to disinfect any remaining bacteria. Place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes and start on preparing your rice. Microwave (or cook) your rice and move to a big bowl. Mix in the sushi vinegar a teaspoon at a time to taste with a rice paddle or big spoon. Be careful not to drown the rice, you want it to stay fluffy and keep the taste subtle. Set that aside and take out your fish. Drain the water and papertowel-dry it on the cutting board. With a knife, cut 1x3” slices that are about half an inch thick. Cut with the “grain” of the fish so that it stays intact. Set the slices aside, barely wet your hands and start forming “rice balls” with about 2 tablespoons of rice in the palm of your hand. It’s like Playdoh: just roll them into shape with little pressure. When you start to notice the rice sticking hard to your hands, just add a little bit of water to your fingertips and palms. That will get the rice ball rolling. Lastly, setup your rice balls on a plate or mat and simply place the fish pieces on top. If you like spicy sushi, add a dab of wasabi on the rice before the fish. Add pickled ginger and wasabi to your serving plate and enjoy!