Author: Thomas Sixt is a chef, food photographer, cookbook author and blogger. Here he shares recipes, answers cooking questions and helps with cooking.
This time I would like to show you my basic sushi rice recipe . In contrast to simple cooking rice, the rice for sushi requires special preparation.
As the main ingredient in sushi, you definitely need this rice prepared. Making sushi yourself is not that difficult – when you know how. I’m crazy about these delicious Japanese bites and love to experiment.
Without rice there is no sushi, so we will first learn how to prepare rice properly. Your kitchen is waiting and I’m ready too. Let’s start cooking.
rice vinegar(I use rice vinegar from the Asian market)
1,5
EL
brown can sugar
1
TL
primal salt(I use pink rock salt)
Equipment
Instruction
Preparation step 1 Prepare rice cooker. The scoop for rice and water is helpful for the preparation.
Rice cooker
-> For the preparation of rice I recommend using an electric rice cooker.
This makes the rice cooking result perfect.
I also use the measuring cup and rice spoon from the accessories.
The latter protects the coating of the cooking bowl in the rice cooker and helps with the sushi rice.
Preparation step 2 Sushi rice uncooked
Japanese short grain rice
Sushi rice is a special Japanese short grain rice.
Weigh this according to the above specification and have it ready.
Preparation step 3 Water in the measuring cup for the right amount.
Measure water
We need a larger amount of water to wash the rice.
To cook the washed rice, we need the above amount.
Preparation step 4 All ingredients for preparing sushi rice: rice, water, rice vinegar, sugar, salt
Ingredients overview
The ingredients at a glance: Japanese rice, water, rice vinegar, sugar and salt.
Preparation step 5 Put the sushi rice that has been weighed into the rice cooker
Rice in bowl
We start with the rice and put it in a bowl.
The separate cooking bowl from the rice cooker is well suited.
Preparation step 6 Wash the sushi rice in a large bowl. The water appears cloudy at first.
Wash rice
We add plenty of water to the rice (a good 1 litre).
We move the rice by hand or rice spoon.
This removes the starch from the rice and turns the water milky.
We carefully pour off the water.
We repeat this process until the water runs clear.
Preparation step 7 Wash the sushi rice until the water appears clear
Washed rice
We drain the rice with clear water in a sieve.
Preparation step 8 Well rinsed sushi rice without water in the rice cooker
Rice strained
Return the washed rice from the sieve to the pot.
Preparation step 9 Water is boiled again with the cleaned sushi rice
Water to the rice cooker
Add the amount of water to the rice for cooking as indicated above.
Preparation step 10 Cook the sushi rice in the rice cooker with the lid
Cook rice
Turn on the rice cooker. The cooker works automatically and there is no need to stir or release steam.
The device automatically switches to “Warm” when the rice is cooked.
Preparation step 11 Brown sugar and salt as solid sushi condiments
Sugar and salt
While the rice is cooking, we prepare the sushi vinegar.
Measure out the sugar and salt and place in a smaller bowl.
Preparation step 12 Combine all sushi seasonings: rice vinegar, sugar, salt
Rice vinegar for brew
For the Sushi Zu, the seasoning broth, we add rice vinegar to the sugar and salt.
Preparation step 13 Prepare spice stock for sushi. Dissolve sugar and salt in rice vinegar.
Dissolve for Sushi-Zu
You want the sugar and salt to completely dissolve in the rice vinegar.
Preparation step 14 Fully cooked sushi rice in the rice cooker
Rice cooked
When the water in the rice cooker is completely absorbed by the rice, the rice is cooked.
Preparation step 15 Pour the seasoning broth over the cooked sushi rice
Sushi zu on rice
Spread the prepared sushi vinegar stock evenly over the rice. The big spoon helps with that.
Preparation step 16 Cooked sushi rice mixed well with seasoning stock
Finalize rice
Fold in the vinegar stock with a wide spoon or rice spoon.
Mix well but carefully. The rice should stay fluffy.
Preparation step 17 Cover and let the finished sushi rice cool down completely
Cool rice
Cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel.
The rice should cool down to room temperature.
Preparation step 18 Sushi rice closeup
Serve sushi rice
Once cooled, the rice is ready for further use in sushi.
Alternatively, the rice can be served separately.
Here in the example decoratively sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Video
If no rice cooker is available, it can also be prepared in a saucepan. I recommend to heat the washed rice with the specified amount of water on the stove. As soon as the rice water is boiling, the temperature can be drastically reduced with the saucepan lid closed. I even tend to switch off the stove completely with an electric stove or ceramic hob. After 18-20 minutes the rice will be perfect.
In any case, get yourself an original Japanese rice for your preparation, which is designated for the sushi preparation. The supermarket already offers good standard varieties. You will find the largest selection of round grain rice suitable for this in the Asian market.
The situation is similar with rice vinegar . It’s already available in many shops. You can also find great aromatic varieties from reddish to white in the Japanese market or generally in Asian markets.
Sushi-Zu is the name of the seasoning marinade for the rice, as we make it here. The sushi rice is never without Sushi Zu.
We wash our rice before cooking until the water runs clear. This is important so that the rice loses starch, otherwise it would stick too much and the sushi will not turn out well.
Rice cookers are perfect for preparing rice. If you don’t have a rice cooker at hand, the preparation in the pot works almost as well. It just needs a little extra attention to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. I recommend the rice cooker.
The rice for sushi should be cool to room temperature . With fish sushi, for example, we definitely don’t want to cook the fish on hot rice.
You can also serve sushi rice separately . I love to eat this rice in an extra portion in a bowl.
Hi Thomas!
My rice turned out very fine for the first time!
Thank you 🙂 🙂