Koshihikari (コシヒカリ)- Some might say this is the king of Japanese rice brand in general. Since the rice is served either cold or at body temperature for sushi, many sushi restaurants considerKoshihikari rice, which has the characteristic of being delicious even when cold, to be appropriate.
Sasanishiki (ササニシキ)- Sasanishiki has a higher amylose content than Koshihikari, so it is relatively light and does not become sticky even when sushi vinegar is added. Some sushi restaurants advertise using Sasanishiki as a selling point because of the good sensation of each grain of rice falling apart in your mouth.
Akita-Komachi (あきたこまち)- It is known as an all-around brand that is easy to pair with any dish and goes well with sushi. The rice grains are large and round, with an excellent aroma, slightly less stickiness, and a fresh texture. It does not harden easily when cold and goes well with sushi andrice bowl dishes.
Japanese short-grain white rice- As mentioned above, koshihikari, sasanishiki, or akita-komachi would be good options. As for the easy option available abroad, nishikiis one choice (I used to use this brand when I lived in England).
Cold water- Used to wash and cook rice. It is recommended to use soft water whenever possible. If hard water is used, the minerals in the water will adhere to the surface of the rice and inhibit water absorption, which may result in dry rice. If you live in a hard water area, you can soften water by boiling it first, but it will need to be completely cool before adding it to the rice.
Vinegar -Rice vinegar (unseasoned) is most recommended; other options are grain vinegar and red vinegar (reddish-colored vinegar made from sake lees). I do not recommend using other vinegar to make this recipe. If you would like to know the recommended rice vinegar brands, please see my “20 Most Useful Condiments and Seasonings for Japanese Cooking” article.
Sugar- White sugar or light brown sugar; a little sweetness helps create a balanced flavor.
Salt- Sea salt is recommended over rock salt as it will distribute more evenly through the rice.
Kombu- Kombu is a type of edible dried kelp. Adding kombu to the rice helps give it a deeper flavor and hint of umami; it’s common for sushi restaurants to use kombu when cooking sushi rice. However, this is optional and can be omitted.
Sake-Another optional addition, but adding a touch of sake will help make the rice shiny and give it a hint of flavor.
Medium-low - 2 minutes
Low - 5 minutes
High - 10 seconds
Turn off the heat (but leave the pot on the stove) - steam for 10 minutes
Make sure to use the right type of rice, short-grain Japanese white rice.
Wash the rice for the best texture. (Wash it in a sieve, not your cooking pot! Washing rice in cooking pots will scratch the bottom and ruin them.)
Sushi rice should be cooked at a water ratio of 1:1. 1 rice cup is equal to 3/4 US cup.
Soak the rice for at least 30 minutes (1 hour in winter) to ensure even cooking.
Don’t remove the lid while the rice is cooking.
Leave the rice to cook in the steam for 10 minutes after turning off the heat.
Mix gently to avoid crushing the rice.
Add the vinegar while it’s still warm to allow the grains to absorb the flavor.
Spread the rice thin in a large container to cool it quickly.
Cover with a damp tea towel to stop the rice from drying out.
Shape the sushi once the rice reaches body temperature.
Temaki Sushi (hand-roll sushi)
Chirashi Sushi (scattered sushi)
Futomaki Sushi
Temari Sushi (Bite-size Sushi Balls)
Sushi oke
Rice Paddle
Uchiwa fan
300 guncooked Japanese riceI usedkoshihikari
350 ml cold water
5 gdried kelp (kombu) optional
1 tbsp sakeoptional
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp salt
Pour300 g uncooked Japanese riceinto a sieve and place the sieve over a large bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water and swish the rice around until the water becomes cloudy. Drain and repeat 2 more times (3 times in total) to wash the rice. The waterdoesn'tneed to be clear by the end.
Transfer the rice to a rice cooker or a pot with a lid and add350 ml cold waterand5 g dried kelp (kombu). Leave it to soak for 30 minutes. (If it's winter, extend soaking time to 1 hour.)
Once the soaking time is up, add1 tbsp sakeand mix. Start your rice cooker on the best setting for sushi rice or follow the steps below.
Place the pot on the stove with the lid on and bring to a boil over a medium heat. Stay close and listen for when it starts to boil (don’t remove the lid). Once you hear it boiling, set a timer for 30 seconds.
After 30 seconds, lower the heat to medium-low and set a timer for 2 minutes.Lower the heat again to low and set a timer for 5 minutes.After 5 minutes, turn up the heat to the highest setting for 10 seconds and then turn it off.
Leave the pot on the stove with the lid on for 10 minutes, the rice will continue to cook in the steam.
While the rice is steaming, mix1 tbsp sugarand1/2 tbsp saltwith2 tbsp rice vinegaruntil dissolved.
Wet the surface of a sushi oke or wide container, this will be used to cool the sushi rice and a damp surface stops the rice from sticking.
Once 10 minutes of steaming time is up, mix the rice gently and transfer it to the container. Don’t scrape the bottom of the cooking pot, since these grains are usually a bit crispy they’re not suitable for sushi. (They can be eaten separately.)
Pour the vinegar mixture into the rice and mix gently with a rice paddle while fanning.
Spread the rice into a thin layer to help it cool quickly.
Use immediately or place a damp tea towel over the top to stop it from drying out. (Use within 2 hours) It’s recommended to roll sushi once the rice reaches around body temperature.
Enjoy!
Instructions
What is Sushi Rice? (Sumeshi/Vinegared Rice)
How I Developed This Recipe
What Kind of Rice Is Used?
Recommended Rice Brands
Tools & Equipment
Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Tips & Tricks
How to Store
Recipes Using Sushi Rice
Printable Recipe
Perfect Sushi Rice (in a pot or rice cooker) · Dinner Match Lab | Dinner Match Lab
