06 February 2012

Introduction to sushi rice recipe

Let’s begin with something simple. There are pretty much two types of rice. Thin and Fat (Short Grain Rice). Thin rice just won’t do. So the rice that you need is a fat looking one. To make rice for sushi you will only need sushi rice and sushi vinegar.

How to prepare Sushi Rice
Put two tea cups of rice (considering that each cup is 250 ml) in the saucepan or bowl and pour two times as much water to cover all the rice.

Let the rice stay in the water for about 20 to 30 minutes. This will let the rice to become supple and the rice won’t break that much when you wash it.

Rice has changed in color to totally white.As soon as 30 minutes has passed, pour out the water and fill with fresh water. Now use your hand and with slow circular movement wash the rice.

Pour out the turbid water and pour fresh water again.Repeat these steps a few times, until you see that the water is clear enough. Now pour out all the water out of the bowl / saucepan. Put the rice into colander and let it stay for about two minutes.

Put rice into the saucepan and add two and half cups of water. So basically it is two cups of rice on two and 1/2 cups of water or for 500 ml of rice you will need about 650 ml of water.

You may also use a cup of rice for one cup of water formula. However, when you cook and feel that the rice is burning add more water (add only hot water from electric boiler). Just don’t put too much water, otherwise the rice will be very watery and will look like a pap.

Put the saucepan on the gas-stove and make sure you use a tight fitting lid. It is great if your lid is made out of glass. This way you can watch all the process and adjust the heat.

How to cook rice in a Sausepan

Use Teflon covered saucepans. Well, there are also aluminum ones (old ones) and stainless steel saucepans. Forget about aluminum ones. Stainless still saucepans are not good because the rice will burn to them and you will have a hard time removing burned rice from the surface.

Two methods on how to cook | make sushi rice

First method. Bring rice and water to the boil on medium high heat with the lid OFF; be careful not to let rice to boil over. Stir with rice paddle, and turn down heat very low. Place lid on pan. Cook the rice for 15 to 20 minutes.

Second method. Bring rice and water to the boil on medium heat with the lid ON. As soon as you see that the rice begins to boil, lower the heat and cook the rice for 15 to 20 minutes.

Take off the lid and taste the rice. The rice should not be dry inside, it should be soft.

If the rice is not ready yet, make sure that you put back the lid ON. If the rice is ready, turn off the heat and let the rice stay in the saucepan for about 10 to 20 minutes.

Best to keep it for 10 minutes in the saucepan with lid on and then open the lid and let it stay for three or four minutes without it.

Take out the cooked rice and put it into a large non-metallic bowl.

Now you will need Rice Vinegar.Sprinkle the rice vinegar over the rice. 

IMPORTANT! Don’t put too much Vinegar. Two to three tablespoons will be enough, four is MAX. If you put too much, the rice will become sour and you will have to start over.

To spread the vinegar evenly through the rice, slide the rice paddle down the side of the bowl, lift and fold the rice. Slowly cut through the rice with the edge of the paddle and fold the rice.

Stop, when you will feel that the rice became harder to fold. It is important to do this process as soon as you have moved the rice from the saucepan to the bowl. When you are done; cover the bowl with a cotton towel and let the rice to cool to between body and room temperature.

Now you are ready to make sushi.

Key points Summary:
  • To prevent too much water evaporation; make sure the lid is tight when using a saucepan.
  •  Carefully and accurately measure rice and water ingredients.
  •  Don’t overcook or undercook your rice.
  •  When water begins to boil, turn the heat to low and keep the lid on.
Basic ingredients for sushi making

These are the most common basic ingredients to use.
  • Avokado
  • Salt Salmon
  • Crab Sticks
  • Paprika – Yellow Pepper
How to Prepare Maki Nori | Sushi Rice on Nori

To prepare maki nori, we will need: rice, nori, some water (mix with little vinegar), sushi rolling mat and a paddle.

One side of Nori for Sushi is smooth and the other one is rough. Apply rice on the rough side of the Nori, otherwise rice won’t stick.

Many sushi makers use hands, It's advisable that you use a wooden paddle, it is easer to apply the rice with a paddle. Keep the paddle wet all the time, this way the rice won’t stick to it.

Evenly spread the rice. It is easer to apply rice on side, then middle. Be gently, otherwise the Nori may tear in the middle or on the side

The thickness is about 4 to 6 milimeters (about 1/5 or 1/6 of an inch). If you add too much rice, your sushi will be huge.

Leave a small part of Nori empty, about half of an inch will do.It will be used as a locking device for sushi rolls.

Preparation of Ingredients for Maki sushi roll | California sushi roll

Snow Crab sticks almost an inch wide.
Peel the Avocado and cut it in half. Cut one side into slices of 5 – 6 centimeters. Then slice avocado into sticks.
Trout – Salmon Fat is removed.

How to make Maki Sushi Roll

Making a simple style Maki Sushi. Ingredients: Salt Salmon(Trout), Crab Sticks and Avokado.

A few pieces of salmon under crab sticks and Avokado beside crab stick.

Here is an important part. You will have to tighten the roll. The idea is simple, if you ever had a scroll and wanted to make it smaller in diameter, what did you do? You pressed and rolled it inside. Use the same method, pull the bended part towards yourself and try to make the inside rice to stick to each other. As soon as you tightened the side of the roll, carefully roll the whole thing. If you don’t tighten the roll enough all ingredients will fall out when you cut the roll.

Sometimes ingredients may come out if you press too hard, usually it is avocado or crab stick, so use your fingers to place things back.

This is the last part. Make sure you wet the whole roll. Take the roll in left hand, wet your second hand and spread the water, until the whole Roll looks wet. The reason behind is to make Nori soft, if you skip this process the Nori will be hard to chew. When you are done place a roll on the clean dry plate

How to Prepare | Make California Rolls

The folowing items needed: sushi mat, couch roll, prepared nori with rice, plate with water and ingredients that will go into the roll.

Pour some water on the couch roll and use your hand to spread the water. It is done to reduce the stickiness of the rice.

Place Nori with rice upside down (rice in the bottom, nori on top)

Slowly bend.

Use strength to tighten the roll and force the rice to stick to Nori. Try make it as tight as possible, just don’t overdo it.

When you got the rice to stick to Nori, slowly pull out the plastic couch.

How to Fry Sesame Seeds for Sushi

Place a frying pan on the gas stove and turn the heat on medium. You will have to wait until the frying pan gets warm. Then, place sesame seed on the warm frying pan (do not use oil). Use a paddle to mix sesame seeds or just lift the frying pan and shake it a bit, in a few minutes you will notices that seeds are changing in color to light brown.

How to add sesame seeds to California Rolls

Take a clean plate and put sesame seeds in it. Don’t put too much otherwise your roll will be totally covered in seeds and you won’t feel the taste of the sushi. Seeds have a strong aroma and taste.

Put the roll into the plate and roll back and forward.

Use your hand to spread the seeds evenly.

How to cut California Sushi Roll | Maki Sushi Roll

Finally the last step in sushi is cutting. Sushi is being cut in the middle then sides.

Make sure the knife is wet. The wet knife will easily slice through sushi. Do you see small drops of water on the knife?

With each next cut the knife will slower and slower slice through sushi. You will notice that the knife is covered in sushi rice.

Wipe the knife and wet it. Repeat this step for each roll or more.

MOST IMPORTANT !!!
Serve with Kikkoman Soy Sauce and Wasabi

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