You’ve always wanted to make perfect sushi at home, but no matter how hard you try, it always ends up being not cooked enough or too cooked and too sticky. It’s because you’re not sure what sushi rice water ratio is. Don’t worry, you’re surely not the only one that’s struggling with this. So, let’s see what you need to do.
The perfect sushi rice to water ratio is 1:1. It’s practically one cup of sushi rice per one cup of water for a perfect homemade Japanese meal. Use the short-grain rice you can find in almost every market labeled as “sushi rice” and approximately the same quantity of water, add vinegar and other seasonings as you like.
If you want to find out more about perfectly cooked rice for homemade sushi, keep reading. I’ll show you how to do it effortlessly with some receipts.
What Is Sushi Rice Water Ratio Recipe
If you have already cooked rice, you know that the steamed one should be softer because it doesn’t require further cooking. However, when it comes to sushi rice, know that this kind of cooking isn’t the best solution. In fact, this rice should remain a bit firm after cooking because it will be processed after.
So, a 1:1 rice and water ratio (use one water cup for one sushi rice cup) is the best measure for making sushi. It’s because you’ll continue to process it with sushi vinegar. And if you want to spice it up a little, add two tablespoons of sake that will bring up the umami flavor.
Why Is Vinegar One of the Ingredients in Most Recipes
If you want to make your own sushi rice, then vinegar is one of the ingredients you can’t omit. So, after you wash the rice several times (until the water is clear,) you have to cook the rice and then add the vinegar you mixed with sugar and salt. It will bring up the flavor but also preserve the freshness of sushi. In the video below, you can check some simple steps on how to make it and mix it in the right way with cooked rice.
Check What Cooking Equipment Is the Best to Use
Nowadays, you have more cooking options than ever – from professional cookers to instant pots. Of course, this doesn’t mean the good old pot can’t cook perfect rice sushi. But, if you have the budget for some pro equipment, check out the following:
- Rice cookers – probably the easiest way to prepare rice is in a rice cooker because they have their measuring cups, and every time you’ll have the perfect amount. The only thing you need to do is press the start button. Cool to perfection with T-Fal Rice and Multicooker that you can use for other things, not just the rice.
- Instant pot or pressure cooker – check the Instant Pot Duo. Apart from being one of the most popular cookers on the market, it will prepare your rice perfectly.
- Additional equipment – hangiri is the wooden sushi bowl and shamoji the rice paddle.
Pro Tip – Gather All the Necessary Ingredients and Make the Perfect Receipt
Although having the right cooker is half the job done, know that the other half depends on the ingredients. For example, you need to know what is the best rice for sushi, how to measure it perfectly, cook and season it right. So, here are some of the most popular and best rice you can find on the market for your sushi.
| Rice | Price |
| Koshihikari Shirakiku Rice | $14.99 |
| Tamaki Gold | $52.95 |
| RiceSelect | $26.31 |
| Nishiki | $6.73 |
When it comes to water, if possible, you should use it filtered and cold. And last but not least, vinegar – make it on your own or simply buy it at the local store. The most popular is the Nakano brand.
Measure and Wash Sushi Rice Right
After you gather all the needed ingredients comes probably the most challenging part – measuring. So, how to measure the rice in order to make perfect sushi rolls? Start with preparing one cup of rice. It will be enough for three sushi rolls.
Wash the rice several times until the water loses that milky color. Also, you’ll know it’s ready when the starch stops coming out. And for better results, let the rice soak for about 30 minutes in water – it will soften it.
Here’s the measurement for eight rolls (count in that two rolls are enough for one person, but it all depends on the personal preferences).
| Ingredients | Cups |
| Rice | 2.7 |
| Vinegar | 7.1 tablespoon |
| Water | 3.15 |
| Salt | 1.8 teaspoon |
| Sugar | 1.8 tablespoon |
How Do You Actually Know the Sushi Rice Is Ready?
After the rice is measured and washed, the next step is cooking. First, you should do it on high heat, and after the water boils, lower the temperature. Meanwhile, you should give it a stir or two and cover the pot once you lower the temperature. After about six minutes, check the water level and add if there’s no more. Ensure it doesn’t burn, so keep checking every minute.
After the cooking and steaming, check the texture of the rice. It should be firm and fluffy at the same time and sticky. If it’s mushy, know you’ve overcooked it. This means you can’t do much other stuff during this process. Be focused if you want to have the perfect rice for perfect sushi.
Why Knowing the Right Sushi Rice to Water Ratio Is Important for All Receipts?
The texture is what is probably the most important when you want to make sushi rolls. And that’s when you should think about the sushi rice to water ratio. It practically determines whether your sushi is from the restaurant or not. I always stick to a 1:1 ratio when making sushi at home and never fail.