Sushi rice

Introduction

Sushi is one of Japan’s most iconic and beloved cuisines. It features vinegared rice paired with various ingredients, including raw fish, vegetables, and seaweed. There are several types of sushi, such as nigiri (hand-pressed rice with a topping), maki (rolled sushi), sashimi (sliced raw fish without rice), chirashi sushi (rice mixed with vegetables and topped with colorful ingredients), temaki sushi (hand rolls sushi)… Sushi is celebrated for its fresh, delicate flavors and beautiful presentation, making it a culinary art form enjoyed worldwide.

The common ingredient in all these types is sushi rice. In this article, you will learn how to make delicious sushi rice by cooking, the ratio of seasonings, and how to use the rice scoop.

Tools for making sushi rice

To make sushi rice, you need a rice scoop and a large container (either a bowl or a sushi tub). The larger the container, the easier it is to mix the vinegar evenly, and it also makes it easier to cool quickly.

Ingredients for 2 cups of rice

・Japanese rice 300g

・Rice vinegar 50ml

・Sugar 1 and 1/3 tablespoons

・Salt under 1 tablespoons (5g)

Steps to make sushi rice

1. Cook the rice normally

Please refer to how to cook rice with or without a cooker. It is a good idea to adjust the water amount so that the cooked rice is a little firm.

2. Mix cooked rice with vingar

・Put freshly cooked rice into a sushi tub (or bowl) and pour the sushi vinegar over the rice using a rice scoop.

・The key to making shiny, delicious sushi rice is to mix the sushi vinegar with freshly cooked, hot rice.

・At first, move the rice scoop around widely to mix from the bottom, thoroughly mixing the sushi vinegar and rice.

・You mix in a cutting motion to avoid crushing the rice, and you can mix until there are no lumps, the entire rice is covered in sushi vinegar, and it’s shiny and glossy.

・Once the rice and sushi vinegar are mixed to a certain extent, move the rice scoop in small, horizontal cutting movements to remove any lumps in the rice

・Once it’s shiny, spread the sushi rice out and cool it with a fan or similar. Once the surface has cooled, turn it over with a rice scoop and let it cool all the way through until it’s about body temperature.

・Once the sushi rice has cooled to body temperature, cover it loosely with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and wait for the sushi rice to be ready to eat! (*If you put it in the refrigerator, the sushi rice will harden, so store it at room temperature!)

3. Now rice is ready to make sushi as you wish (onigiri, sashimi sushi,…) with topping, nori, and fillings,…