Learn to make sushi rice completely each time with step-by-step footage and a video tutorial. All you want are easy components similar to rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and kombu. When you grasp the key of constructing the sushi rice, you’ll be able to dish up all types of mouth-watering sushi recipes!
Completely cooked Sushi Rice (酢飯) is prime in making any type of sushi. Certainly, the most effective sushi eating places in Japan pleasure themselves not solely on the freshest fish or selection however on the approach and high quality of the sushi rice. Right here, I shared my secrets and techniques and strategies on methods to make sushi rice the genuine approach. Comply with alongside, and also you’ll have the ability to make the most effective sushi rice at residence for all types of sushi!
What’s Sushi Rice?
Sushi rice is made by cooking Japanese short-grain rice with kombu (kelp), which is then seasoned with a mix of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. In Japanese, sushi rice is also referred to as sushi-meshi (鮨飯), su-meshi (酢飯), or shari (シャリ). We solely use this vinegar-flavored rice when making all types of sushi.
It’s price noting that exterior of Japan, Japanese short-grain rice is commonly known as “sushi rice” for advertising and marketing functions. In actuality, Japanese rice is usually utilized in on a regular basis meals and fewer usually in sushi recipes.
You may additionally discover that Japanese short-grain rice has been incorrectly known as “sticky rice.” Sticky rice is definitely one other identify for glutinous rice or short-grain Japanese mochigome. We use one of these glutinous rice to make Mochi, Sekihan, and Okowa.
👉🏼 In case you are right here on the lookout for a recipe to make plain steamed rice, see my put up on Find out how to Make Rice.
👉🏼 To brush up in your information, I extremely advocate studying “The whole lot You Have to Find out about Japanese Rice” and “Sorts of Japanese Rice.“
Why Do We Season the Steamed Rice with Vinegar?
This really goes again to the origin of sushi. The literal that means of sushi is “bitter taste.” Traditionally, the best way individuals saved fish was by wrapping it in fermented rice. After they had been able to benefit from the fish, the fermented rice was tossed away.
Someday between the 1300s and 1500s, the Japanese slowly stopped utilizing fermented rice and as an alternative added vinegar to the rice to additional improve its shelf life. The vinegar ended up enhancing the flavour of the rice so that they began consuming the fish and the rice collectively, which developed to at this time’s sushi.
Nowadays with refrigeration, there isn’t a longer a spoilage subject with the fish, however the centuries of flavoring the rice with vinegar have develop into the mainstay.
The place to Purchase Japanese Quick-Grain Rice
You will discover Japanese short-grain rice, generally labeled as sushi rice, in main grocery shops lately. Some normal, inexpensive manufacturers like Kokuho Rose and Nishiki are medium-grain rice.
For premium manufacturers, I like to recommend Tamaki Gold and Tamanishiki Tremendous Premium Quick Grain Rice, which can be found in Asian grocery shops.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for imported, high-quality rice from Japan, I’d advocate the Koshihikari selection, which is offered from varied manufacturers at Japanese grocery shops. Identified for its candy style and perfume, it’s the most well-liked selection in Japan.
My household and I just like the Koshihikari rice from Toyama prefecture (see above). Nijiya Market sells it and we expect it’s among the best imported rice accessible right here within the U.S. presently.
The Proper Rice-to-Water Ratio
When cooking rice usually, the Japanese golden ratio for white rice to water is 1 to 1.1 (or 1.2).
Nonetheless, when making sushi rice (for all types of sushi recipes), it is extremely essential to go away room for the sushi vinegar to soak into the cooked rice. For that motive, the quantity of water to cook dinner the short-grain rice is barely moderated.
To make sushi rice, the golden ratio for white rice to water is 1 to 1.
Additionally, The rice ought to be cooked barely more durable and the steaming time ought to be shortened.
Find out how to Make Excellent Sushi Rice
The Substances You’ll Want
- Japanese short-grain rice
- Kombu (kelp) – non-compulsory, however it infuses your rice with a pleasant aroma
- Rice vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt
The Cooking Steps
- Prepare dinner rice with kombu utilizing your most well-liked cooking technique.
- Make “sushi vinegar” seasoning.
- Switch cooked rice to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a sushi oke or hangiri (conventional technique).
- Season the rice with “sushi vinegar.” Then, fluff the rice with a rice paddle utilizing a slicing movement.
- Cowl with a humid towel and able to use.
Cooking Ideas
- Use Japanese short-grain rice. To attain an genuine Japanese normal, you wish to use solely short-grain Japanese rice to make sushi rice. It is because the consistency and taste of Japanese rice are very completely different from long-grain rice, jasmine rice, or different kinds of rice. With a better content material of moisture, Japanese rice is characterised by its distinctive stickiness and texture, which is attributed to the toothsome chew of genuine sushi. Learn extra about rice on my pantry web page.
- Rinse and soak the rice earlier than cooking. Ensure the rice is washed and rinsed just a few occasions till no extra starch comes out from the water. Then let the rice be soaked for a minimum of 20-Half-hour earlier than cooking. This permits the rice grains to yield a greater texture.
- Prepare dinner the rice with kombu. Kombu (dried kelp) provides a delicate perfume and umami style to the sushi rice.
- The rice-to-water ratio is 1:1 (quantity). As a result of we add sushi vinegar to the cooked rice, we use a bit much less water than whenever you cook dinner the rice repeatedly.
- Make home made sushi vinegar. Sushi rice is at all times seasoned with sushi vinegar. It’s made from rice vinegar, sugar, and salt to attain a stability of candy, salty, and bitter style. It’s essential to get mild-flavored rice vinegar, not one other sort of vinegar for this; in any other case, it’s too sturdy and the flavour will not be the identical. If you wish to save time, you need to use a bottle of seasoned vinegar known as sushizu (すし酢).
- Switch cooked rice to a sushi oke (hangiri), a big salad bowl, or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You will need to let the rice cool quick. It’s widespread to make use of an electrical fan or hand-held fan known as uchiwa (うちわ) to chill the rice.
- Add sushi vinegar when the rice is scorching. As quickly because the rice is taken out of the rice cooker or the cooking pot, it’s a must to season the rice with sushi vinegar.
- Fluff the rice in a slicing movement with a rice paddle. Don’t combine or else sushi rice will find yourself being mushy or smashed. With correct fanning and slicing, your sushi rice turns into shiny!
- Cowl with a humid towel and hold it at room temp till you’re able to make sushi.
What Does Completely Cooked Rice Look Like?
After the rice is steamed, the rice ought to be shiny and plump. The feel ought to be fluffy with a agency chew. And every rice grain ought to be sticky but retain its form. Mushy rice means it has an excessive amount of water or it’s overcooked. If the rice is recent, you will notice a pleasant shiny gloss on the floor of every grain.
Sushi Oke (Hangiri) – A Picket Tub
The wood tub that’s used to season, combine, and funky sushi rice is named sushi oke (寿司桶) or hangiri (はんぎり). It has straight edges and a flat backside, which assists in spreading scorching rice and permitting it to chill after including sushi seasoning. The Hinoki cypress absorbs extra moisture.
Greatest Method to Retailer Cooked Rice
What’s the most effective technique to retailer cooked sushi rice? Merely freeze the sushi rice in hermetic containers and convey it again to room temperature whenever you want it to make sushi! That is by far the most effective method to holding your sushi rice recent and moist. Don’t refrigerate it!
Different Strategies of Cooking Japanese Rice
You’ll be able to cook dinner the rice utilizing a pot over the range, however essentially the most handy approach is to cook dinner sushi rice utilizing an electrical rice cooker. In my Japanese residence kitchen, my trusted rice cooker model is Zojirushi Rice Cooker. As a result of I cook dinner sushi rice usually, this rice cooker has a ‘sushi’ choice, which makes it very easy to make sure the rice is cooked completely. Listed here are my recipes for various cooking choices.
Scrumptious Sushi Recipes
Now with completely cooked sushi rice, you may make all types of sushi recipes! In case you are fascinated with studying extra, take a look at my put up Studying at Sushi Expertise Seminar in San Francisco.
Want to study extra about Japanese cooking? Join our free e-newsletter to obtain cooking ideas & recipe updates! And keep in contact with me on Fb, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
★ For 3–4 Servings (Makes 4 Medium Sushi Rolls)
★ For five–6 Servings (Makes 6 Medium Sushi Rolls)
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
Earlier than You Begin…
-
How a lot rice to cook dinner depends upon the sort of sushi you make. One thick sushi roll (futomaki) requires 1⅔ cups (250 g) of sushi rice. One medium sushi roll (chumaki) like Vegetarian Sushi Roll requires 1 cup (150 g) of sushi rice. One skinny sushi roll (hosomaki) requires ½ cup (80 g) of sushi rice. One inside-out sushi roll (uramaki) like California Roll requires ¾ cup (110 g) sushi rice. One nigiri sushi requires 20 g of sushi rice.
-
Find out how to Measure Rice: Overfill a ¾ cup measuring cup or a plastic rice cooker cup with raw short-grain white rice and degree it off. Put the measured rice in a big bowl. Repeat till you’ve the quantity you want. Tip: You will need to use Japanese short-grain white rice or your sushi will disintegrate.
-
Now, collect all of the components.
To Wash the Rice
-
Fast Rinse: Add simply sufficient water to the bowl to submerge the rice, then pour off the water instantly. Tip: Rice absorbs water in a short time whenever you begin rinsing, so discarding this water instantly helps rinse off impurities whereas holding the rice from absorbing the primary few rounds of milky water.
-
Wash: Along with your fingers, gently agitate the moist grains in a round movement for 10–15 seconds. Tip: Utilizing little or no water permits the grains to rub towards one another and reduces the absorption of impurities.
-
Rinse: Add water and instantly discard the cloudy water. Repeat Wash and rinse (steps 2 and three) two extra occasions.
-
Drain: When the water is sort of clear, drain the rice completely. Tip: Use a fine-mesh sieve to empty and shake off any extra water.
To Soak and Prepare dinner the Rice
-
Put the well-drained rice within the interior pot of a rice cooker and add the measured quantity of water. In case your rice cooker has a Sushi Rice mode, add water as much as the road for what number of rice cooker cups of rice you are cooking. If not, use the White Rice mode and add water to just below that line. Tip: Use 1 half rice to 1 half water for sushi rice—much less liquid than for normal steamed rice—to account for absorbing the seasoned sushi vinegar later.
-
Test the piece of kombu for grime particles. If you happen to see any, use a humid material to softly wipe them off (that is the normal technique, however kombu is pretty clear lately). Don’t wipe off the white powdery substance that contributes to the umami taste, and NEVER wash kombu! Now, place the kombu on high of the rice within the pot.
-
Let the rice soak within the water for 20–Half-hour, then begin cooking. If you happen to don‘t have a rice cooker, cook dinner the rice in a pot over the range, Prompt Pot, or donabe with the identical quantity of water I specified on this recipe.
To Make the Home made Sushi Vinegar (Non-compulsory)
-
In case you are not utilizing store-bought sushi vinegar (seasoned rice vinegar), observe this step. Mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan.
-
Warmth it over medium-high warmth till it is almost simmering, whisking till the sugar is dissolved. Alternatively, you possibly can warmth the components in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute or till the sugar dissolves. Put aside to let it cool.
To Retailer
-
Rice will get exhausting and dry within the fridge from the chilly air. Due to this fact, I like to recommend freezing the leftover sushi rice in an hermetic container for as much as a month. If you’re prepared to make use of it, defrost the frozen rice in a single day within the fridge, then convey it to room temperature (not scorching) within the microwave. If you happen to actually wish to refrigerate it, cowl the container with a thick kitchen towel, so the rice will keep cool however not develop into chilly.
The plastic rice cooker cup that comes with the rice cooker is ¾ cup (180 ml). In Japan, this quantity is named ichi go (一合).
- 1 rice cooker cup (180 ml, ¾ cup, 150 g) of raw rice makes 2¼ cups (330 g) of cooked rice.
- 1 thick sushi rolls
- 2 medium sushi rolls
- 4 skinny sushi rolls
- 3 inside-out rolls
- 2 rice cooker cups (360 ml, 1½ cups, 300 g) of raw rice make 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked rice.
- 2 thick sushi rolls
- 4 medium sushi rolls
- 8 skinny sushi rolls
- 6 inside-out sushi rolls
- 3 rice cooker cups (540 ml, 2¼ cups, 450 g) of raw rice make 6⅔ cups (990 g) of cooked rice.
- 4 thick sushi rolls
- 6 medium sushi rolls
- 12 skinny sushi rolls
- 9 inside-out sushi rolls
- 4 rice cooker cups (720 ml, 3 cups, 600 g) of raw rice make 8¾ cups (1320 g) of cooked rice.
- 5 thick sushi rolls
- 8 medium sushi rolls
- 16 skinny sushi rolls
- 12 inside-out sushi rolls
- 5 rice cooker cups (900 ml, 3¾ cups, 750 g) of raw rice make 11 cups (1650 g) of cooked rice.
- 6 thick sushi rolls
- 11 medium sushi rolls
- 20 skinny sushi rolls
- 15 inside-out sushi rolls
Useful Notes to Bear in mind:
- One thick sushi roll (Futomaki) requires 1⅔ cups (250 g) of sushi rice.
- One medium sushi roll (Chumaki), like Vegetarian Sushi Roll, requires 1 cup (150 g) of sushi rice.
- One skinny sushi roll (Hosomaki) requires ½ cup (80 g) of sushi rice.
- One inside-out sushi roll (Uramaki), like California Roll, requires ¾ cup (110 g) of sushi rice.
- One nigiri sushi requires 20 g of sushi rice.
Energy: 353 kcal · Carbohydrates: 79 g · Protein: 6 g · Fats: 1 g · Saturated Fats: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fats: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fats: 1 g · Sodium: 344 mg · Potassium: 75 mg · Fiber: 3 g · Sugar: 7 g · Calcium: 20 mg · Iron: 4 mg
Editor’s Word: This put up was initially revealed on Aug 18, 2011. It was republished with new pictures, a brand new video, and extra useful content material on January 19, 2024.
