Step-by-step

sushi rice

Well-prepared sushi rice called 'shari'or 'sushi-meshi' in Japanese, has a firm texture without being dry, sticks together and is glossy and loaded with tasty vinegar mixture, without being gluggy.

Each sushi chef has their own recipe for sushi rice. Variables include the type and blend of rice used, the age of the rice, the vinegar, the balance of sugar and salt etc. (And of course the right equipment!)

The beauty of making your own sushi rice, is that you can adapt the recipes to suit your own palate or dietary requirements.

To develop an understanding of sushi rice it is worth making the deliberate effort to taste the rice of the professionals. When eating sushi at a restaurant start with an eggroll nigiri or other delicately flavoured topping. This will allow you to taste the sushi rice before your palate succumbs to the entire sushi experience! Gradually you will build an appreciation of the subtly different flavours that can be achieved. Start with our online recipe instructions, then gradually adjust to your preference.

The following recipe is a sweet Kansai-style sushi vinegar recipe. (Kansai is in the west of Japan).

Sushi Rice Basic Recipe - sushi rice is cooked drier than plain rice to enable it to soak up sufficient vinegar mixture. The water required will vary depending on how long the rice has been stored - new rice usually has more water content - and how well your cooking pot seals. The following is a basic guide using the ratio 1:1.1 of rice to water by volume. However some recipes recommend equal amounts of water to rice, so experiment with your own equipment and ingredients! For great final results, remember to use the correct container for sushi rice cooling and mixing - a sushi rice tub!

Sushi Rice Ingredients: (Note the measurements used here are metric.)

2 1/2 cups (625ml) short-grain rice such as Koshihikari, or Sunrice brand 'Sushi Rice'. If unavailable, a medium-grain variety such as Nishiki or Calrose brand 'Versatile' is an acceptable substitute. Long-grain rice is unsuitable. DO NOT use glutinous or 'sticky' rice.

1 Piece approx 8cm square dried kelp 'kombu' (optional). (It usually comes in large pieces so simply cut to size and store the rest for another day.)

2 3/4 cups (680ml) water

30ml sake (optional)

Sushi Vinegar Mixture
72ml brewed rice wine vinegar 
64g sugar 
16g salt

Sushi Rice Preparation>>

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