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How to Properly Cook Rice for Sushi – The Simplest Methods
Instructions
Sort through the rice on a white plate, removing any stray pebbles and dark grains. Rinse it in several changes of cold water, 5-7 times, until the water runs clear. Without thorough rinsing the rice turns slimy rather than sticky, and the rolls come out crumpled.
Leave the rinsed rice in a sieve for 40 minutes: the grains dry slightly on the surface and swell evenly with the absorbed moisture. After this rest the rice heats more evenly and holds its shape.
Cover the rice with cold water in a 1:1.2 ratio: 1 cup of rice (200 ml) to 1.2 cups of water (240 ml). The Japanese standard is 1.1-1.2 times as much water as rice by volume. That is less than for a side dish (1:1.5-2), so the grains come out sticky but not mushy. Bring to the boil over high heat without a lid.
Turn the heat down to the minimum and cover tightly with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes without opening the lid or stirring the rice. Opening the lid lets the steam out and leaves the rice raw at the bottom, and stirring breaks the grains, so you get porridge instead of the right texture.
Make the dressing: combine the rice vinegar, salt and sugar in a small saucepan and warm it over the lowest heat until the sugar and salt dissolve, without letting it boil. A warm dressing spreads through the rice more evenly.
When the water has been fully absorbed, turn off the heat and leave the rice with the lid on for another 10 minutes. During this time the steam finishes cooking the grains and evens out the texture.
Transfer the rice to a wide bowl (traditionally a wooden "hangiri", but an ordinary one will do), pour over the dressing and gently fold it through with a wooden spatula from the bottom up, without crushing the grains. In Japan the rice is fanned at this stage so that it cools faster and turns glossy, but this is optional.
Tips
- 1
Use only short-grain round rice (Krasnodar, sushiki, nishiki): it has enough starch for stickiness. Long-grain basmati is not suitable.
- 2
Do not open the lid while the rice cooks and do not stir it – the steam must stay inside for even cooking.
- 3
Shape the sushi from rice that has cooled to about body temperature (35-40 °C).
- 4
Cold rice straight from the fridge is not suitable for rolls – it turns hard, shapes badly, and the rolls crack. Use only warm or room-temperature rice.
FAQ
Which rice is suitable for making sushi? +
Ideally, special "sushi rice" of the Japanese varieties sushiki, nishiki, or koshihikari. They contain the right amount of starch for proper stickiness and hold their shape in rolls. If a Japanese variety is not available, use ordinary round-grain Krasnodar rice – it is naturally sticky. Long-grain varieties (basmati, jasmine, Indian rice) are absolutely unsuitable – they are crumbly, and the sushi will fall apart while you shape them. You can use "Japonica", "Krasnodar", or "Kuban" rice.
Can rice vinegar be replaced with something else? +
Yes, there are a few proven alternatives: a mix of apple cider vinegar (1 tablespoon) with sugar (1/2 tsp) and salt (a pinch) gives a similar mild result. Grape or wine vinegar with sugar also works, but gives a more "European" flavour. Lemon juice with sugar is the most natural option. Do not use ordinary 9% table vinegar – it is too sharp and will spoil the flavour. Rice vinegar is sold in supermarkets in the "Asian cuisine" section.
How long does finished sushi rice keep? +
Dressed rice is used within 2-3 hours of cooking; while it waits, cover the bowl with a damp towel so the grains do not dry out. In the fridge sushi rice hardens and is no longer good for rolls, so cook as much as you will use in one go. If you know you will have extra, set it aside straight after cooking: the UK National Health Service (NHS) and Food Standards Agency (FSA) advise cooling cooked rice within an hour, keeping it in the fridge for no more than 1 day and reheating it only once, until very hot all the way through. Rice that has stood at room temperature for several hours should not be kept for the next day.
How much rice is needed for one portion of sushi? +
The usual guideline is 80-100 g of dry rice per portion (8-10 pieces of rolls). A 200 ml cup holds about 180 g of round-grain rice, which is enough for about 2 portions. For dinner for four, take 1.5-2 cups of dry rice; for a large sushi set for a group, 2-3 cups. The exact amount depends on appetite and on the type of rolls: inside-out rolls take more rice.
How long do you cook rice as a side dish? +
White long-grain rice simmers for 15-18 minutes after the water boils, covered, over the lowest heat, then rests off the heat for 10 minutes; use 1.5-2 cups of water per cup of rice. Times for basmati, brown, wild and other types are in the table: how to cook rice.
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