How to make perfect sushi rice
Sushi rice is not overly complicated, but there are a few things to know to make it just right.
First, you need the correct rice. Sushi is made from Japanese, short grain rice, called Jabonica rice. This is the best option — if you can get your hands on it. If not, you will look for something labelled “glutinous” rice, “sushi” rice, or “sticky” rice. These are not likely to be traditional sushi rice and won’t have quite the most authentic taste, but honestly only more discerning people will know. As a last resort, calrose will work in a pinch but probably won’t be as sticky.
Second, you need to have a piece of seaweed called kombu. This is a thick, dried seaweed that cooks with the rice. It often has a white film on it that can just be wiped off with a damp clean cloth. Some sites list this as optional, but it is really needed.
Lastly, you’ll need to season the rice, as outlined below. It’s not plain rice, even though the seasoning is subtle. You can buy seasoning, but making it with the rice is really simple.
Ingredients (roughly for four people at 2 rolls per person)
2 cups Jabonica rice (or alternative)
2.4 cups water (or follow the instructions on the rice package)
~2-inch piece of kombu
1/4 cup rice vinegar
4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
rinse the rice well by putting it in a bowl and filling it with water. Swirl the water with your hands and drain in a sieve. Repeat until the water runs clear. Do not omit this step
place rice and water in a pot with kombu
bring to a boil, cover, and turn heat down
simmer on low for about 10 minutes, until water is gone and there are a few indents on the surface of the rice
turn the heat off and let cool slightly while you make the seasoning
mix rice vinegar, sugar and sea salt together
add seasoning to rice and stir with rice paddle
let cool completely before using in sushi
