How To Make Sushi Rice

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How To Make Sushi Rice

Sushi Rice :

it is a short grain rice
it is glutinous - sticky texture when cooked,
it is available in numerous short grain rice brands,
it is prepared somewhat differently than minute rice,
It is best prepared in a rice cooker

Sushi rice is the most important ingredient in making sushi, and preparing it properly can make your sushi rolls taste and look that much better.

Properly cooked sushi rice is:

cooked short grain sushi rice

sticky texture, with a subtle glossy look to it,
you can see each individual rice grain, the rice should not appear mushy,
rice has a slight springiness to it when touched,
rice should have a soft chewiness when eaten.

Short grain sushi rice is cooked with a water to rice ratio that is different than traditional rice. Usually we use equal amount of rice and water for white rice, but for short grain sushi rice we use just a tad more water.

Rice Cookers

A rice cooker does a better job of cooking short grain rice for sushi. Rice cookers are easy to use. Just add the rice, water, and place the cooker in 'cooking' mode. Most rice cookers have a 'warming' mode, when rice is done cooking.

There are many types of rice cookers. Prices can vary from less than $20, to over $100 dollars for cookers with additional features.
I use a simple, 6 cup rice cooker i bought a Walmart(Canada) for $14 dollars, which included a rice paddle, and vege steamer.

The ratio of portions are as such:

2 cups short grain rice (uncooked),
2 cups water, and 5 ounces water,

Sushi short grain rice also has to be rinsed before being cooked, although some rice brands will state on their packaging that the rice does not need to be washed, it is good practice to rinse the rice thoroughly.

Some online sushi rice articles/know-how recommend that sushi short grain rice be put in water and left for a time usually 30 mins - 1, 2 hours, before cooking, I have tryed this method, and can say, I didn't find the rice to be any better tasting or looking having done so.

Short Grain Brown Rice

If you want to use 'short grain brown rice', to make your sushi rice, the water and rice portions are different than the 'short grain white rice'. For every 2 cups of uncooked short grain brown rice; use 2 cups of water and 10 ozs of water. Add the water to the rice cooker after you have added the rinsed brown rice to the rice cooker. Then cook the rice. To season the rice, use the same portions as the white rice.

To wash the short grain rice:(white or brown)

Place 2 cups of uncooked rice into a round bowl and with enough cold water to cover the rice and then some,
Use a spatula to swirl around the rice in the bowl about a dozen times or so,
As you do this the water will become murky (cloudy like),
Once your done stirring, quickly pour the rice into a strainer,
In the sink, Pour few cups cold water over the rice in the strainer,
Place strainer over a bowl so that any remaining water on rice can drain into the bowl (few seconds),
Once water is drained, place rice into the rice cooker bowl,

How To Cook the Rice in the Rice Cooker

Rice cookers have their own measuring cup and howTos, however, if you have cooked short grain rice on the stove top in a pot, you can simply use the same rice to water portioning for your rice cooker. Don't use their measuring cup, simply use your own.

If you haven't cooked sushi rice before use these portions for the rice cooker:

Place the 2 cups rinsed, uncooked rice into the rice cooker bowl,
Pour over the white rice 2 cups and 5 ounces cold water (use 2 cups 10 ounces for short grain brown rice),

The water will rise above the rice in the bowl,
Put the lid on the rice cooker,
Plug in the rice cooker, and put in into the 'cook' mode.
When done cooking, remove 'bowl' from rice cooker
Unplug the rice cooker.

As soon as the rice stops cooking, (usually 15-20 mins to cook the rice) immediately unplug the rice cooker and remove the rice bowl with oven mitts. (Careful, rice bowl is very hot!) Place rice bowl on board or hot pot holder.
Most rice cookers have a 'warming mode', and it will go into 'warm' mode automatically, once done 'cook mode', to keep the rice warm for a time. However, the longer rice sits in the rice cooker 'warming mode', the more moisture it looses, so we must remove the rice bowl as soon as the rice is done cooking in 'cook mode'.

Seasoning The Sushi Rice

sushi rice make your own seasoning, learn to make sushi rice
You can season the sushi rice one of two ways:

make your own with rice vinegar, sugar, salt, or
buy a pre made sushi seasoning,

Based on 2 cups uncooked rice:

To make your own use these portions:

4 and 1/4 tablespoons rice vinegar, with 2 tablespoons sugar, and with 1 tsp salt.

You can of course, adjust any or all of them to your liking.

Sushi rice is usually categorized as either: tarty, sugary, salty

In Japan, for example, certain regions are known for their specific types of sushi rice seasoning: more salty, more sugary.

To Use Store Bought Pre Made Sushi Seasoning

Probably one of the most popular 'sushi seasonings' is from Mizkan - Seasoned Sushi, in a bottle. Every Asian market i have been to in my city(Halifax) seems to carry this particular brand. Unfortunately, the local grocery stores do not, although they do carry the Mizkan, natural regular rice vinegar, which is what you use if you want to make your own sushi seasoning. Find it in the vinegar/oils section, or international foods section.

Of the two pre-made sushi seasoning I have tryed, i found one to be more 'tarty' tasting, while the other is more 'mild tarty'. Other than that, I found them to be similar. I make my own mostly, and at times I use the Mizkan Sushi Seasoning (pre made sushi seasoning). I prefer using my own because I can use sucralose instead of sugar.

To Make Your Own Seasoning

In a small saucepan on stovetop, put the sugar and vinegar and salt, and use the portions mentioned for 2 cups of uncooked rice- 4 and 1/4 tablespoon Natural rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Bring to slight boil, then simmer, till the sugar dissolves and the liquid is clear. Take it off the stove and let it cool somewhat till your rice is ready.

If using a microwave, add all ingredients to small microwave bowl and put on high heat for 10-15 or so seconds till sugar dissolves.

To make your rice seasoning sugar free (use sucralose instead of sugar), use 2 tablespoons sucralose, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 and 1/4 tablespoon Mizkan Natural Rice Vinegar.

To Use Store-Bought Sushi Seasoning

Just add the seasoned sushi seasoning to your hot rice once it is cooked. The amount to use is usually stated on the bottle, however, you can use less or more as you like. For the Mizkan Sushi Seasoning, their bottle says to use, 5 tablespoons for every 2 cups of uncooked rice (4cups cooked). When i use Mizkan for my rice, I use 4 tablespoons and 1/4 tablespoon, for 2 cups of uncooked rice(4 cups cooked).

How To Mix The Sushi Seasoning Into The Cooked Rice

As soon as the rice is done cooking in the rice cooker, remove the bowl from the rice cooker and place on hot pot holder. Then, using a large cooking spoon, or spatula, remove the rice from the bowl and place into a rectangular or large round tubberware dish. You want to use a dish where the sides are not too tall, so that the rice can cool quicker.

season the sushi rice

While rice is still hot, you will pour the sushi seasoning over the rice. Pour each tablespoon in a lengthwise fashion, each tablespoon over a different area on the rice. Next, use a rice paddle, to mix in the seasoning. Just do slices with the rice paddle(or spatula) through the rice, lengthwise and criss-cross. A couple of dozen slices or so should be sufficient.

use rice paddle to mix in the sushi seasoning

Now, leave the rice uncovered for at least 20 or so minutes before placing it in the fridge, or making sushi rolls. Keep the container lid on at all times while it is in the fridge. This helps to keep the rice fresh.

In Japan, they use an 'oke', which is a round wooden bowl to mix the rice and seasoning. Using a hand fan is also common, to help cool the rice quicker, and supposedly makes for a better rice. If you want to use a Japanese hand fan or oke while making your sushi rice, you can usually buy them at your local asian grocer or online.

Keeping The Rice Fresh

If you have bought fresh sushi at your local grocery store or a sushi takeout, you probably know they put a 'best to eat time' of two days on most sushi rolls. Because some sushi rolls have raw ingredients, this time frame is recommended. Rolls with cooked ingredients can probably be eaten later than two days although most of us eat our Sushi soon after buying it.

Keep your rice container covered while in the fridge. When making sushi rolls just place the amount of rice you need into another smaller container. That way your sushi rice is not uncovered for any length of time. This will help to keep it fresher.

Placing saran wrap over the sushi rice, also helps to keep the rice fresh. Just place the wrap to cover the rice in the container, then place the container cover over the saran wrap.

Sushi Rice Brands

There are several short grain rice brands to choose from for making sushi rice. They all have in common:

short rice grains
cooked with the same rice to water ratio(white rice)
sticky texture when cooked
Also, you can buy in 1kg, 2kg(4 lbs), 4kg(8 lbs), and 6kg(15 lbs), and some Asian markets sell 40 lb quantity.

Some rice brands are known to be better for taste, and texture/appearance than others. It is a good idea to try a few different rice brands to see which one you like best.

To read more about 'Sushi Rice Brands', gohere.

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