For best results, go to Asian stores and ask specifically for sushi rice. High quality rice will have very few broken grains. Real sushi rice has a good balance of starches (amylose and amylopectin) so that the rice sticks together when you’re using chopsticks to bring it from the plate to your mouth. Most of the time it will be labeled “Sushi Rice”. Equipment and seasonings such as bamboo sushi-making mats, bamboo spatula, nori sheets and sushi vinegar (Asian white vinegar that has been sweetened is also usable) can also be found there. If “Sushi Rice” is unavailable, the closest alternative is Dongbei rice (a strain native to North-east China whose natural environment resembles Japan’s cold climate). Its level of sweetness and stickiness is extremely similar to sushi rice. Dongbei rice is roundish and pearly. [1] X Research source and has the rare property of never reverting to the texture of uncooked rice after cooking i. e. will not harden but retains its soft texture, even after it becomes cold. This trait is essential for making authentic sushi and onigri. Dongbei rice is a high quality type of Chinese rice, while relatively expensive, it is still cheaper than “Sushi Rice” and can be found in quality/major Chinese grocery stores. The other alternative is to buy “Sushi Rice” online. A cheaper choice is Calrose, some brands are Botan Calrose and Kokuho Rose. Other rice species will most likely be long-grain (commonly found in supermarkets) such as Basmati. Long-grain rice will not bind and is incapable of coming close to the taste and texture of sushi rice. Brown rice is unhulled wholegrain rice of any species. Brown rice is never used in authentic sushi making, but can be used for healthier eating.
Short-grain Japanese rice doesn’t need too much moisture, so the rice to water ratio should always be one to one. If you use medium-grain or long-grain rice, it may require a little bit more water.
Short-grain Japanese rice doesn’t need too much moisture, so the rice to water ratio should always be one to one. If you use medium-grain or long-grain rice, it may require a little bit more water.
Don’t use a pot or rice cooker with Teflon or some other type of non-stick coating inside. We want the rice to get stuck to the bottom, because the alternative is a kind of crust at the bottom of the pot where the rice gets crispy, which tastes great in itself, but is really bad mixed in with the rest of the rice in a sushi maki roll or a piece of nigiri.
Adjust to taste. Add a little su, then stir around (gently) with a wooden spatula or spoon, taste. Not enough? Repeat. You’ll probably end up using somewhere between 100 and 250 millilitres of su for the portion we’re making here. Remember not to try to get too much taste or saltiness out of the rice by adding su - the reason we don’t use salt in the rice in the first place and don’t want the su to make the rice salty is that sushi is dipped in soy sauce which is very salty indeed. Use the sushi rice at room temperature. If the rice is still warm, cover it with a damp cloth (so it doesn’t dry out) and leave it be until it reaches room temperature. Sushi tastes best when made from freshly cooked, unrefrigerated rice.
