Ingredients
-
For the Sushi Seasoning
-
3½fl oz/½ cup (100 ml) Rice Vinegar
-
1¾oz/¼ cup (50 g) Caster Sugar
-
½ tsp Sea Salt
-
½ tsp instant Dashi Powder
Directions
Rice is the most important element in sushi. Its quality, preparation and cooking will make or break any sushi dish you attempt. The sushi rice must be cooled and seasoned in an unvarnished wooden vessel or a sushi barrel (known as hangiri or handai in Japanese). If you do not have one, you can use a large wooden chopping (cutting) board instead. It should not be placed in glass, stainless steel or ceramics as these will ruin the texture of the rice making it too wet and sticky. In addition, after preparing the sushi rice, do not put it in the fridge as it will harden the grains making it unpalatable. The vinegar in sushi seasoning will help preserve the rice for a few hours without refrigeration. Sushi rice should be served at room temperature.
Steps
|
1
Done
|
Cook the short-grain white rice. |
|
2
Done
|
If making the sushi seasoning, place all the seasoning ingredients in a pan and warm it over a low heat, stirring all the time to dissolve. Take off the heat and let it cool down to room temperature. |
|
3
Done
|
Wet the inside of an unvarnished wooden bowl, sushi barrel or the top of a wooden chopping (cutting) board, and a wooden or plastic spatula, with fresh water to prevent the rice from sticking. |
|
4
Done
|
Transfer the cooked rice to the bowl and, using the wet spatula, spread it over the entire surface of the bowl. Drizzle the sushi seasoning over the rice a little at a time. |
|
5
Done
|
Using a paper or electric fan, cool the rice while folding it, cutting through the lumps of rice as you do so but without crushing the grains. |
|
6
Done
|
Bring the rice to room temperature as quickly as possible by fanning it constantly, this should take about 5 minutes. Cover the rice with a clean damp tea towel (dish cloth) until you are ready to use it to prevent it from drying out. |
