Knowng how to make authentic sushi rice is an essential foundation point to making many types of Japanese sushi. With step by step photo instructions, helpful tips, and a handy quantity calculator, you'll master it quickly!
Wash the rice a few times or until the washing water becomes clear. Drain the washing water and place the rice in a rice cooker.
Add the kepl strip and water and cook the rice as per your rice cooker instructions. *3
While the rice is cooking, in a small pot, heat the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt together to make the sushi vinegar on medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
Moisten the wooden tub with water and wipe excess water off with a cloth.
Once the rice is cooked, remove the kelp strip (if you used a kelp strip) from the rice and place the rice into the wooden tub. Pour the sushi vinegar over it and mix to flavour the rice while fanning it to cool down the rice.
While the rice is hot, pour the sushi vinegar mixture over the rice.
Turn and mix to flavour the rice with rice spatula (called Shamoji) while fanning it to cool down the rice.
While fanning with the Japanese fan (called Uchiwa) make sure that you are not mashing the rice, rather more like cutting motion.
All the rice to cool at room temperature and place a moistened cloth over to avoid getting dry.
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Notes
*1 Use a standard measuring cup (240ml). To make more sushi rice, use the calculator in the post. *2 You can either use a powdered dashi or kelp strip.*3 If you use kelp, just pop it in. If you use powder, just add to the rice cooker. *4 Nutrition fact is for entire rice. This amount of sushi rice will make 4 full sized sushi rolls. Rice vinegar is the best to use for making sushi rice. That is what authentic Japanese recipe would use. If you are unable to get rice vinegar, it can be replaced by white vinegar but the flavour will be slightly different.