The first step to making great sushi is to start with great rice. If the rice doesn’t have that signature “sticky” consistency, then you won’t be able to roll it into sushi and it will just end up falling all over the place. The easiest way to make sushi rice, by far, is with a rice cooker.
So, how do you make sushi rice in a rice cooker?
To make sushi rice in a rice cooker, first rinse the sushi rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Then add the rice to the rice cooker and fill with twice as much water as there is rice. Turn on the rice cooker and wait until it’s done cooking. Once it’s done, allow the cooked rice to sit in the pot for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Season with soy sauce or sushi vinegar as desired.
Depending on the amount of rice you’re trying to cook and how big your rice cooker is, your sushi rice could take anywhere between 20 and 35 minutes to fully cook. In today’s post, I’m going to show you my step-by-step process for making my own homemade sushi rice that tastes better than most authentic Japanese restaurants!
Step-By-Step: Making Sushi Rice In A Rice Cooker
Let me start by saying this – If you don’t own a rice cooker, then you should!
Seriously.
Sure, you can cook sushi rice in a steamer pot or Dutch oven-style cooking device, but it’s just not going to turn out as good as cooking sushi rice in an actual rice cooker. The rice cooker ensures that your rice never gets too wet, maintains the perfect consistency, and is evenly cooked without any burning or sogginess.
Plus, using a rice cooker is hassle-free and doesn’t require you to use your stove. Just plug your rice cooker in, set the timer, and it’ll take care of all of the hard work. So, that being said, here’s my step-by-step process for making the perfect sushi rice!
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Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
Start by gathering all of your ingredients. It’s important to use high-quality ingredients to make the best quality rice.
Short-Grain Rice
The other day, I wrote an entire post on how to buy sushi rice, which you should definitely check out. In summary, though, search for short-grain white rice. I almost always go with Nishiki’s short-grain sushi rice, as it’s authentic and easily found at my local grocery store.
Rice Vinegar
To achieve that perfect sushi rice flavor, you’ll need to use a bit of seasoned rice vinegar. This will add a tangy, slightly sharp flavor that balances out the taste of the fish and the seaweed wrap.
Filtered Water
Your rice grains are going to be over 50% water, so why would you use a bunch of metallic-tasting tap water to make your rice? I generally use filtered water or some bottled spring water.
Step 2: Soak The Rice Overnight
The number one rule for making sticky sushi rice is to soak it overnight! If you’re in a rush, the minimum you should soak your rice grains for is 4 hours. However, the longer you let your grains soak, the more starches they’ll release, and the more the rice grains will stick to each other.
Step 3: Place The Water + Rice In The Rice Cooker
When making sushi rice, I generally start by using 1.5 cups of Nishiki’s short-grain rice. After overnight soaking, it will generally take up around 1.8 to 2 cups worth of volume.
First, pour 2 cups of filtered water into the bottom of the rice cooker (the water chamber). Then, place your 1.5 to 2 cups of soaked rice into the rice basket.
Step 4: Turn The Rice Cooker On And Cook For ~30 Minutes
If your rice cooker has a setting for “white rice,” then go ahead and select that option. If not, set the timer to 20 minutes. It may need an additional 10 to 15 minutes (a total of 30 to 35 minutes), but it’s best to check it after 20 minutes to ensure that it doesn’t overcook.
Step 5: Add Vinegar Let Cool And Enjoy!
Once it’s fully cooked, pour 1/4-cup of rice vinegar over your steamed rice and use a spatula to spread it throughout the rice. Then, let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling it into a sushi roll.
If there’s any leftover, you can store the sushi rice by putting it in a container with a tight lid. It will stay fresh up to 1 day after cooking it.
Conclusion
There you have it! That wasn’t too crazy of a recipe, was it? Sushi rice is supposed to be simple and mild in flavor. The main thing that you’ll want to get right is its signature stickiness, which is achieved by overnight soaking, using short-grain rice, and steaming it in a rice cooker.