Sushi Rice recipe

Washing Sushi rice

• When washing Japanese rice to get rid of the excess "dust", wash and rise the water several times until the water becomes almost to completely clear. This may entail rinsing 4-6 times.
• Make sure you drain it in a large sieve for 1 hour to drain all the water out. Any residual water left in the rice may upset the balance of the sushi rice recipe.

Rice Cooker Method:

You should follow your rice cooker instructions exactly. The rice cooker is usually designed to perfectly cook cups of sushi rice, and it really does when you perfectly measure out the rice using the measuring cup that came with the rice cooker , add water into the rice cooker pot to the indicated level, and select the proper cooking method from the menu. The only trick to remember is that, once the cooking cycle is finished, do not open the lid immediately. Just wait for about 10 minutes for the rice to properly steam. Then open the lid and fluff the rice with the rice paddle.
You can also throw in a piece of kombu into your cooking water (which should be removed once the water starts boiling).

Stovetop Method:

Place the rice and water in a 1:1 ratio in a heavy pot or Dutch oven. If you are using kombu (optional), add a 2"-long piece for every 2 cups of rice (you should first wipe the kombu lightly with a paper towel and cut little ridges into the side of the leaf to release the flavor). Bring the rice to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat setting to maintain a simmer (and remove the kombu if you are using it). Once you hit the simmer point, put the lid on the pot and don't take it off until the end. Cook the rice for 15 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and let it sit undisturbed for another 10 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a rice paddle.

Preparing Sushi Rice

• When rice is finished cooking, it is time to cool the rice. Turn out the cooked rice into a large non-metallic bowl.
• Using a manual or electric fan, fan the rice to get rid of the excess moisture, while moving the grains around. After about 30 sec, Sprinkle the seasoned rice vinegar over the rice and carry on fanning the rice while moving it around, for 5 min.
• Note: you do not have to fan the rice, but it needs to cool down to about 38degrees to be perfect for Sushi, fanning it accelerates the process.
• To incorporate the vinegar evenly through the rice, slide the rice paddle down the side of the bowl, lift and fold the rice. Also cut through the rice with the edge of the paddle and fold the rice. Let it all cool to between body and room temperature (your choice) and then it is ready to make sushi.

Some key points when making sushi rice:

• Always use freshly made rice, do not refrigerate. This dries the rice and causes it to fall apart when moulded for sushi.
• If using a Saucepan, make sure the lid is tight. This will prevent too much water evaporation. Use a non-stick pan.
• Carefully and accurately measure rice and water ingredients.
• Don’t overcook or undercook your rice.