Sushi is all about the perfect balance between the fresh fish and the sweet vinegared sushi rice. With a splash of soy sauce and a dab of wasabi, there is a mini flavor party in your mouth. The sushi rice is a huge component of this exquisite taste. In fact, many Japanese pro sushi chefs would agree that the sushi rice is not as simple as one would think, it takes accurate measurements and special techniques to produce the chewy and delicious sushi rice. Sushi rice making is a meticulous skill set that chefs have to train for years to master.
Curious to know how to make sushi rice? Look no further, in this article, you can find all the details of making sushi rice.

Sushi Rice

In simple terms, sushi rice is vinegared based rice with sugar and a bit of salt mixed in. However, in reality, sushi rice is so much more than just some flavored rice, but a big part of sushi. According to one of the greatest sushi masters Jiro, from Sukiyabashi Jiro, who made sushi for President Obama and many more famous people, “good sushi means good sushi rice”. Sushi rice is more than just to provide a filling sensation but also brings out the flavor of the seafood. With the right temperature, texture, and flavors, eating sushi is an experience. Let us find out how to create this experience with sushi rice.

Sushi Rice’s Brief History

When sushi was first invented, the rice had a very important role to keep the seafood and fish fresh and well-preserved. As food storing technology, culinary skills, and techniques improved over time, the significance of the sushi rice has changed.
The development of sushi in Japan has a correlation with the development of rice plantation and agriculture. When sushi was first introduced to Japan, rice was used as a fermentation element. With fermentation, the fish can last longer and be better preserved for consumption. Back then, rice was only for fermentation and people didn’t eat it. As time passed, Japanese people developed the habit of having rice as their main source of food. When rice vinegar was invented, it slowly replaced the use of fermented rice as a source of preservation component for fish. With the use of rice vinegar, the fermentation process was reduced by half the time and the rice became much more edible. As the storage methods and changes, the making of sushi continued to evolve and sushi rice also changed a lot. Sushi rice became much more important.

Ingredients

In order to make good sushi rice, following the step to achieve the texture, temperature, and having the correct ingredients are very important. Just like sushi, sushi rice making value precision and accuracy.

The best type of sushi rice is the short-grain Japanese sushi rice, which provides sushi with essential stickiness and glutinousness. When washed and cooked properly, the sushi rice individually will glisten and stick beautifully together, with the right amount of chewiness.

List of Sushi Rice’s Ingredients and Utensils

• Sushi Rice: 150g
• Water: 200ml
• Rice Vinegar: 20ml
• Sugar: 10g
• Salt: 5g
• Kombu (Dashi seaweed) optional

It is recommended that you make a bit more of the sauce. Extra sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for one month. The ratio can be altered to fit the personal preference if done at home, if you have a sweet tooth, you can add more sugar. All sushi uses the same sushi rice recipes, so you can apply the extra sauce to make other sushi.

Utensil/Tools:

• Rice Cooker or Cooking Pot
• Washing Bowl
• Sieve
• Small Pot
• Large bowl or a hangari (wooden barrel)
• Non-sticking Paddle (shamoji)
• Fan
• Cloth or Small Towel

Making sushi rice

Now that we have all the ingredients and utensils ready, let’s make sushi rice!
Sushi rice takes patience and every step is important.

Step 1: Washing

Gently pour rice into the sieve and then run it under cold water. This removes the excess starch. After a few rinses, stack the sieve in a washing bowl. Fill the bowl up with water and gently use your hand to wash the rice. Stir your hand in circular motions. The water would become murky, and try to rinse until it is near clear (7-8 times). The water will never be entirely clear. Take your time washing.

Step 2: Chilling

Fill up the bowl with an extra 20~30% of water. Just let the rice chill in the water for around 20~30 minutes. This allows the rice to soak up the water and give a better texture. Once done, drain the sieve and transfer the rice into a rice cooker or a cooking pot.

Step 3:Sushi Rice’s Essence: The Vinegar Sauce

While you are chilling the rice, it is the perfect time to make the sauce for sushi rice. It is recommended to do this step with a small pot on the stove with the lowest heat possible. Mix in the vinegar, sugar, and salt and dissolving everything without the sauce ever being boiled. If boil, you will lose a lot of the flavor of the vinegar, and heating it is to ensure the sugar and salt can be dissolved evenly. However, you don’t have to heat it up.

Step 4: Cooking

Depending on what you use to cook the rice, this step is somewhat different. One key thing is don’t open the lid until the very end of the step.

Cooking Pot

Pour in 200ml of water into the pot with the rice. If you would like an additional scent, you can add in kombu. Place the lid on and boil for 4 minutes with high heat, then 1 minute on medium heat and end with 8 minutes of low heat. Then leaving the lid on, let it rest for 15 minutes.

Rice Cooker

It is much easier with a rice cooker. Pour in 200ml of water. Add the optional kombu if desired. And just close it and start cooking. Once the cooker stop, leave the rice inside the cooker for an extra 10~15 minutes. Done!
*If the rice turned out to be a bit mushy, this might be caused by a bit too much water, next you can reduce the water a little bit.

Step 5: Sushi Rice Mixing

Transfer the cooked rice into a large bowl or the barrel. (If using the wooden barrel, it is recommended to first wet the barrel with cold water and dampen the towel at the same, the wet barrel reduces the rice sticking to the barrel.) Then immediately pour half of the vinegar sauce over the rice, use the paddle to guide the pouring of vinegar sauce. The rice absorbs the sauce best when it’s still hot.

P.S. There is actually an easier way to mix sushi rice, the sushi rice mixer machine! Keep reading to find out more!!

The Cutting Technique

This a very delicate process. You don’t want to break or smoosh the rice. With the paddle, you gently cut through the block of rice and gently spread them out while flipping them, so they can get an even coat of the sauce. Cut, flip, and spread out after 2-3 times add the remaining sauce and repeat the cutting. Repeat the cut, flip, and spread for another 3-4 times. The sushi rice should look evenly spread, flurry, and glistening.

Step 6: Cool down

Once the rice is individually coated with vinegar sauce, gently fan them. While fanning, flip them a couple of times to get the air following to all layers and speed up the cooldown. Then gently gather the rice to one side and cover them with the damp towel. The damp towel will prevent the top layer of the sushi rice from drying out. And just let it naturally cool down to around 35-40 degrees Celcius (body temperature). Sushi should be made with 3-4 hours.
*An electronic fan might be too strong and can cause the rice to harden.

Conclusion

That’s it, that is the sushi rice recipe. After a few times of practice, making sushi rice would be a piece of cake for you. You can easily recreate professional like sushi at home. Whether it is nigirizushi, sushi rolls or chirashizushi (scattered sushi). You can even say that you have become an expert on Japanese sushi rice, as you now know almost everything about sushi rice. You know all the tips for making it and the history and importance of sushi rice.

Interested in finding an easier way of mixing and making delicious sushi rice? Allow me to introduce the sushi rice mixer machine! This rice mixer is specifically made for sushi rice, it is the perfect partner device for all sushi machines. With a sushi rice mixer machine, you can easily mix the sushi rice without damaging rice. In addition, it would make the process of mixing rice a lot easier. The perfect machine to go along with your sushi machine. With this rice mixer, you can mix a lot more rice at the same time, without worrying about not working fast enough. The special design of rice mixer ensures the rice will remain delicious and evenly coated with vinegar sauce. The complementary device for sushi machines. Details on the amazing sushi rice mixer.

If you are interested in learning about sushi machines or rice mixer, please feel free to check out Top Sushi Home Page or contact us!