How to: the perfect sushi rice

Crazy about sushi and planning to make it at home soon? It’s certainly not difficult, but you do need to pay close attention. Which rice exactly do you need and what’s the best way to cook it? FavorFlav explains.

Which rice?

For sushi, you need Japanese, short-grain rice. Fortunately, you can simply buy it at the supermarket, often under the name sushi rice. Otherwise, look for shari or simply Japanese rice. Asian supermarkets have a larger selection, so that’s where we prefer to go.

What is dashi again? We explain it.

Washing

Rinse the sushi rice thoroughly before cooking it. Rinse the grains with cold water in a colander, making sure the rice grains keep moving. Continue until the water running off the rice is clear. It’s important to let the rice drain well afterwards, for at least ten minutes.

Cooking

For half a kilo of sushi rice, you need 750 ml of water. If you use too much water, your rice will become more like dough. Turn the heat up high and stir your rice every 2 minutes. Keep doing this until the water boils. Then turn the heat down low and cover the pan. There’s no need to stir anymore. The rice is ready when all the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand for approximately 10 minutes.

Removing it from the pan

Transfer the rice to a large bowl so it cools down faster and is easier to mix with the seasonings. It’s best to do this with a wooden spoon. A metal spoon can damage the rice and may also react with the vinegar you add later.

Seasoning

Season the rice with rice vinegar. For every 500 g of rice, use approximately 6 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 4 tsp sugar and 2 tsp salt. Warm the vinegar in a saucepan over low heat and dissolve the sugar and salt in it. Mix the mixture evenly through the rice. Cover the rice with a damp tea towel and let it cool to room temperature. Above all, don’t cool it artificially in the refrigerator, as this will ruin the rice.

What exactly is kosher salt?

It’s a matter of personal taste how strongly you season the sushi. There is also a difference in flavor between brands of rice vinegar. Making sushi rice for the first time? Then start by using half of the vinegar mixture and taste it to see what you think. You can then gradually add the rest.