How to cook sushi rice correctly

When we eat sushi rolls, there are many things we may not pay attention to or not pay attention to: for example, the thickness of the nori (seaweed) or the size of a piece of fish; or perhaps the dish was a little spicy or bland. Again, some people will like this kind of sushi. It’s already, as usual, a matter of taste and color…

But what definitely cannot be overlooked is the quality of the rice. If it is raw, crunches on the teeth or is an overcooked porridge, good luck. It’s simply impossible to call such a dish Japanese. And only lovers of well-cooked cereals will like it.

The chefs say so: the fundamental basis of good sushi is rice, which can be compared to a capricious but beloved child. Therefore, choosing the right ingredient is half the battle when preparing a Japanese dish.

Ingredient selection

Rice for sushi can only be short-grain – due to its high stickiness, it contains a lot of starch. Long grain will fall apart when cooked, which will not allow the sushi to be given an ideal shape.

Stores sell packages that say: “Rice for sushi.” By buying them, we, on the one hand, can be sure that this cereal is truly for sushi. It has already been processed, excess starch has been removed from it, so it is easier to wash it.

But on the other hand, we become victims of marketing, because such a product, as a rule, is one and a half to two, and sometimes three times more expensive than a regular one. It is sold in small packs to show the buyer how valuable the product is. Moreover, there are brands that are no worse in their properties and are perfect for sushi, but this is not written on the packaging. Perhaps the manufacturers themselves do not know that their product is an ideal ingredient for a Japanese dish.

To prepare sushi, it is best to take high-quality cereal and under no circumstances buy it by weight. The latter is usually sold on the market and is not very hygienic. At best, there are other crops in it, at worst – pebbles that must be carefully removed.

But even the most expensive rice, seemingly intended for making perfect sushi, can be ruined. So, carefully study what you actually need to do with this precious ingredient in order to please yourself, your loved ones and your guests with the wonderful taste of the dish.

Washing rice

There are two methods, the “correctness” of which professionals are still arguing about. In fact, if you look at it, both of them are equivalent.

The first way is to take a fine sieve into which grains of rice do not leak, and rinse the cereal for five minutes with cold running water, stirring well to remove excess starch. If the rice is not washed, it will turn into a solid paste and will be difficult to work with.

The second way is to constantly add water to the pan and carefully drain it so as not to lose grains. This must be done until the water becomes clear, on average 5-7 times.

Soak

After washing, we proceed to soaking the rice – in exactly the amount of water needed for cooking. Most likely, the recommendations are indicated on the packaging. But there is also a classic proportion: for one part of short-grain rice for sushi, take 1.15 parts of water, that is, for every hundred grams of cereal, pour 115 ml of water. To accurately follow the recipe, it is better to use a measuring cup.

After 15-20 minutes, when the cereal has swollen and changed color from transparent to white (it should resemble foam floating in water), it’s time to cook.

Cooking in a saucepan

It is necessary to use dishes with a thick bottom. Place a saucepan with water and rice over medium heat and cover with a lid. There is no need to quickly bring the water to a boil – let the cereal come to readiness carefully. After boiling, turn the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cooking takes from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the type of cereal.

If you open the lid, relatively speaking, after half an hour and realize that the rice is not ready, it’s okay: cover the pan again with a lid, let it absorb the steam.

Cooling rice

But now our important ingredient is cooked. Now the most important point, which should not negate all previous efforts, is to properly cool the rice. Under no circumstances should this be done under a lid, under cling film or foil. Why? Due to the hot steam, the lid, cling film or foil will become covered with condensation. Drops of water will fall into the rice, it will continue to cook, turning into porridge.

Cover the pan in which you cooked the cereal with either a regular towel or a paper towel. You can transfer the finished product to a special wooden or bamboo bowl designed for cooling rice. But not everyone has such devices, so, most likely, we cool it in a saucepan.

How to cook sushi?

Sushiza is a sushi dressing that is needed to make the rice sticky and easy to work with. It consists of rice vinegar, salt and sugar.

For 100 grams of finished rice for sushiza:

– 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar;

– 1-2 pinches of sugar;

– salt on the tip of the knife (you can do without salt altogether if you plan to serve sushi with soy sauce).

We make sushi in a water bath. Place a bowl on a saucepan with hot water (up to 90 degrees so that the vinegar does not evaporate). Pour vinegar into it and add sugar (it will help remove the acid from the vinegar), stir until the sugar dissolves. And only then add salt to taste.

Season our rice with the prepared sushisa and mix.

Important tips from the chef:

– I highly recommend using a slow cooker. Since it works on the principle of a Russian stove with steam, the rice will cook much more evenly than in a saucepan. Pans are different, and heating is also different. And in a multicooker, heating is the same over the entire surface of the bottom. You won’t need to monitor the cooking time: the multicooker will do everything itself. In addition, this kitchen appliance, as a rule, has a non-stick surface, and the brew will easily come away from the bottom and walls, which is also important for housewives: it will be easy to wash the dishes;

– in a steamer, rice may not cook as well as even in a saucepan, because it can turn into porridge. So you shouldn’t use a steamer to prepare sushi;

– neither rice nor ready-made sushi should be cooled in the refrigerator – otherwise the food will become stale and cease to be edible;

– when working with rice, you must constantly lubricate your hands with water; If you use gloves, take nitrile or latex ones – rice sticks very strongly to others.

Of course, if you’re making this Japanese delicacy for the first time, you may not be able to achieve the perfect rice consistency. It’s okay – think about what exactly you did wrong, where you made mistakes. Next time you will probably get closer to your goal, and maybe even achieve it. Even experienced chefs do not always cope with preparing dishes the first time. Especially when we are talking about sushi – a rather complex delicacy (for all its apparent simplicity).

Good luck with cooking and bon appetit!