sushi rice
I am always surprised at how many people say they find it a challenge to make perfect rice because there is a fine line between cooked grains that are too soft, just right or a bit crunchy.
Regular blog readers will know I am a fan of Yutaka microwavable rice which comes out sticky and delicious in just one minute but, for the cooking purists, I have found the perfect solution to excellent sushi rice – a rice cooker.
Before you bemoan another piece of cooking equipment that will be used once and then lie hidden in the kitchen cupboard, just hear me out. The technologically savvy Japanese have been using rice cookers for years. Rice is a main staple of their diet so you can’t argue with them for wanting to get it right. On my travels in Japan I was surprised to see that restaurants, hotels and private households all use a rice cooker to get the perfect grain.
The right type of rice is essential for sushi. It should never be made using long grain rice as it is too dry to shape. The perfect sushi rice should be sticky and fluffy, making it ideal for eating with chopsticks or making into sushi rolls or nigiri.
It is no surprise that rice is one of the main crops in Japan and, despite limited farmland because of the mountainous terrain, most of the country’s rice is home grown. There are also different regional varieties and top chefs have their own individual recipes for rice vinegar dressing.
A rice cooker not only makes perfect rice in 10-15 minutes, it also has a function to keep it warm and comes with its own measuring cup and spoon so you can be sure the amounts are bang on every time so no more piles of slushy rice or grains that taste like bits of gravel.
All you need to do then is mix your perfect rice dressing in and you are ready to roll. My preferred recipe is a traditional seasoning of 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of mirin, 2 teaspoons of castor sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt.
I am so impressed with the rice cooker that I have stopped using the microwave unless I’m in a hurry and I have decided to stock two sizes at sushisushi.co.uk for all my sushi loving friends – The Frigidaire FCLRC15 1.5L Sushi Rice Cooker at £19.99 and the Kenwood RC410 3.5L Large Sushi Rice Cooker and Steamer which can also be used to steam vegetables, chicken and fish, at £37.99
