This simple recipe will teach you how to make perfect sushi rice. You can use the finished product to make onigiri with pickled vegetables and seasoned tofu, or in bowls filled with avocados, cucumbers, or edamame.

To prevent the rice from becoming too soggy, it is best to use short grain Japanese brown rice.

Rinse your rice.

To maximize the starch retention in sushi rolls, short grain rice is preferred over basmati. After cooking, the recipe calls for a special vinegar-and sugar mix to be poured over.

Use filtered water for this step to enhance the flavor and increase the overall taste.

Add the rice into a heavy pot, and then cover it with 3 parts of water for every 2 parts of rice. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low. Allow grains to simmer for approximately 15 minutes.

While your rice is cooking, mix sugar and rice wine in a separate dish until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the seasoned vinegar evenly over your cooked grain using a spatula.

Before adding toppings or assembling the sushi, allow the rice to cool to room temperature.

Cook the rice.

Sushi rice is more delicate than white rice. It should contain short grain with a higher ratio of amylopectin and amylose to make it more sticky. This will help you form sushi rolls easier. As the rice cools, drizzle a mixture of sugar, salt, and vinegar over it to add flavor and keep your roll together when rolling your sushi.

Try Nishiki rice, which is available in many US supermarkets. It has the perfect combination of starch & moisture to produce sticky sushi! Other varieties will also work, but they may not produce as much sticky sushi.

Rinse the rice under running cold water until it runs clear. This process is time-consuming but it is essential to be as effective as possible. Otherwise, you could end up with sticky sushi rice which won’t keep its shape when it’s used for onigiri or other sushi rolls.

In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, salt, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the vinegar mixture over your rice after it is done cooking. You can use a spatula to ensure that you get an even coating.

Rice should be seasoned.

The unique seasoning of sushi rice sets it apart from other grains. A mixture of vinegar, salt, and sugar is drizzled on cooked grains to add flavor, moisture and stickiness. This is an essential element for rolling sushi with ease.

You can find this classic seasoning in any Japanese supermarket. However, you could substitute the sugar with any other natural sweetener. To create sticky rice, fine sea salt is preferred to table salt. Finaly, adding dried seaweed sheets (kombu) may enhance the traditional umami flavor while creating extra sticky bites.

After the rice has finished cooking, pour the vinegar-seasoned sauce over it and transfer it into a large bowl (or traditional wooden hangiri). Fold this gently together with a large spatula, without crushing any grains or overworking them.

This step is essential as it must be done while the rice still absorbs vinegar and is still hot. It will give you that sticky, glazed texture and look that you associate with cooking with vinegar. It is also the most time-consuming, as once the bowl of seasoned cooled to room temperature, you must then cool it down again before using it for sushi rolls. You can speed up the cooling process by placing it under a hairdryer or fan set on cool.

Cool down the rice.

Sushi rice, also known as Japanese short-grain rice, is a staple ingredient in sushi, onigiri and poke bowls. It is usually prepared with premium Japanese short grain cultivars such as Koshihikari or Akitakomachi.

It is important to not overcook sushi rice as excess water can make it sticky and bland. It is important to rinse your grains before cooking.

Use a spatula or bamboo paddle to stir the vinegar-seasoned rice mixture gently until all grains are evenly coated. Use a fan next to cool down the mixture and remove any excess vinegar.

This step is crucial, because it’s where the flavor and stickiness of the rice are determined. You can adjust the seasoning to suit your tastes. Try substituting granulated granulated for maple syrup, or using mild sea salt in place of coarse seasalt.