# Sushi Rice



## -DEADLY SUSHI- (Jun 27, 2004)

I was told by the master Sushi chef that sushi rice should be washed 3 times. Then only use a LITTLE less water than rice. (ie 1 cup of rice to just a LITTLE less than 1 cup of water.)

Belive it or not, I really dont make very good rice. It seems so SIMPLE!!! How could I go wrong?


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## chefwannabe (Jun 27, 2004)

I saw something about rice not too long ago on Food 911 with Tyler Florence. The majority of people that mess up on rice is because they don't let it sit before fluffing it with a fork or they don't cover it while its sitting. 

For regular rice, I use equal parts of rice and boiling water, then I remove it from the heat and cover for about 5-7 minutes and then fluff with a fork. I love sushi so I will have to remember to use a little less water when I get all the stuff to start making my own sushi. The funny thing is that I only tried sushi so that my aunt would try it and I had my mind set that it tasted gross, but I actually liked it.


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## Alix (Jun 28, 2004)

Sushi, you need to really rinse the rice well. Use short grain only for sushi. If you are "rolling your own" you will also need to add 1 tbsp of vinegar and 1 tbsp of sugar to your rice while hot. Stir until glossy and let sit until cool enough to use. Good luck.


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## -DEADLY SUSHI- (Jun 28, 2004)

Thanks guys!    Yeah, after I make the rice I put in the rice vinegar, unrefined sugar and sea salt. Once I ran out of the rice vinegar.... So I used apple cidar vinegar.  :x  YUK! LOL!!!!!!


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## kitchenelf (Jun 28, 2004)

DS,

I make sushi rice quite a bit and it always turns out.  I buy rice that is labeled sushi rice in the grocery store.

I follow the directions right on the bag.  (ewwwwww - apple cider had to make the hair on your arms stand up LOL).

Well, I just went to look for my bag because I am doubting myself about quantities and I'm out of sushi rice :-( - it might be 2 cups rice, 3 cups water (rinse if you want to but I don't - maybe a little) bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 15 or 20 minutes, turn off heat, keep covered for 10 more.  Pour into a ceramic or glass bowl (never aluminum and never use an aluminum spoon), add your sugar/rice vinegar/salt mixture that has been heated so the sugar melts, folding in from bottom while turning the bowl.  Don't "mush" the rice.  Have someone fan it while you fold it.  I've tried to do both and I'm not quite that coordinated   

I'll buy some tomorrow and change if this is not right.


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## ironchef (Jun 28, 2004)

I love sushi, but sushi is one of those things that I never make at home. I always go out and eat sushi if I feel like eating it. Maybe because I cook all day, when it's time to cook for myself, I only want to make something fast and easy. Everything high prep I'd rather pay someone else to make and serve me.


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## kitchenelf (Jun 28, 2004)

ironchef - you come to my house and I'll make you sushi - well heck, everyone come to my house and we'll have sushi.  It's our favorite thing because we all sit around our 6' x 4' chopping block kitchen island with all this stuff spread out in front of us and stuff our faces while having a great time being together.  Except don't expect giant clam - YUUUUUUUUUCK - it's even gross to look at.

And Dead Sushi - I promise to keep you alive


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## ironchef (Jun 29, 2004)

If I am invited to your house for sushi, then I am going to definitely have to make sushi for you to eat as well. Just be adventurous and prepared to eat sushi that you've definitely never eaten before.




			
				kitchenelf said:
			
		

> ironchef - you come to my house and I'll make you sushi - well heck, everyone come to my house and we'll have sushi.  It's our favorite thing because we all sit around our 6' x 4' chopping block kitchen island with all this stuff spread out in front of us and stuff our faces while having a great time being together.  Except don't expect giant clam - YUUUUUUUUUCK - it's even gross to look at.
> 
> And Dead Sushi - I promise to keep you alive


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## fat n happy (Jun 29, 2004)

there is also a few tricks you can use 1. 1/4 inch above the rice in the pan this is the fastest way to add the water to the rice 2. let the water come to a boil and turn off and cover for 15 min 3. the most important is to use a bamboo bowl to stir is your vinagar and miran maybe a little surgar added to the vinagar as well 4. i will be over for sushi let me throw on some clothes.


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## Alix (Jun 29, 2004)

Cool! A sushi party! Can I come? I will bring my own sudare (sp?). ironchef...what do you mean stuff I have never seen before? I am curious. Hey...could this be a potential "Dine with Us" topic?


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## fat n happy (Jun 29, 2004)

im in


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## fat n happy (Jun 29, 2004)

im in


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## ironchef (Jun 29, 2004)

it would be stuff like this:

*Pan Seared Foie Gras Sushi with Soy-Balsamic Reduction

Tuna Tartare Roll with Ginger-Wasabi Vinaigrette

Cripsy Soft Shell Crab Tempura Roll with Sweet Chili-Mustard Sauce

Smoked Salmon and Grilled Portobello Mushroom Roll with Roasted Garlic Aioli*

I usually make my sushi rice with generally a little less vinegar if I am making fusion stuff, and with more vinegar if I'm making traditional sushi


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## chefwannabe (Jun 29, 2004)

Alix, I just don't know about sundaes with sushi. I might have to pass on that one.

Can someone tell me what all I should buy (equipment) to make sushi here at home?


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## kitchenelf (Jun 29, 2004)

We always try something new each time we go for sushi - the last time I got the scallop special - the chef leaned over to me (I don't know if I can quite type it like he said but I'll try) - scarrop stia bleathing, ok?

I had him repeat it and realized he was telling me the scallop was still breathing LOL  I was a tad hesitant but went for it anyway.  OMG - that scallop was sooooooo sweet and soooooo good.  And this particular time we mostly had everything served sashimi style on daikon radish threads versus rice - VERY refreshing!!!!  

I like fresh cilantro on anything with salmon.  I prefer my squid slightly browned under a broiler though.  I even like for dessert a piece of nori with a cream cheese strip and slices of kiwi and strawberry - pretty good~  even with a little bit of soya sauce


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## fat n happy (Jun 30, 2004)

that nori and cream cheese sounds good was it?


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## -DEADLY SUSHI- (Jun 30, 2004)

Well, thanks a lot guys. You got me SOOOOOOO hungry, I had to go out and get myself SUSHI!  





 I havent had it in awhile. But it was sooooooooo GOOD! I ordered about $40 worth. 90% of it was on the menu. But then I started getting creative, and I wrote down what I wanted in the roll and handed it to the chef. It was just fantastic! And I also found out that this particular place puts more salt into the rice than sugar. Thats a 1st for ME. Anyhew, it was a fun time, expensive and TASTEY!!!


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## kitchenelf (Jun 30, 2004)

fat n happy - it was great!!!  I also like cream cheese sometimes in my tuna or salmon or eel rolls.  SOMETIMES - most of the time I'm on a raw fish binge where I must need some kind of mineral or vitamin from the fish - I become CRAZED  :roll:  until I get it! LOL


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## -DEADLY SUSHI- (Jun 30, 2004)

I feel the SAME way Elf! I get this craving..... its like addiction!    I get like a crazed animal if I cant get my sushi. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Of course most folks think Im nuts...... they think sushi is discusting.  :?  Well, let me tell ya.... 9 out of 10 people that I bring to the sushi bar either like it or just love it! I brought home a piece of tuna roll for my cats. They enjoyed it too!


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## Alix (Jul 1, 2004)

OMG...ironchef...that sounds wonderful. I am so in for that. Lori...ha ha ha..what would we do without your wonderful sense of humour. I got my SUDARE mat and my other things at WalMart. Cheap and easy to use. You can buy nori paper in any grocery store here.


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## chefwannabe (Jul 1, 2004)

Alix, you forget that I live down here in Bama where they refer to sushi as bait. LOL They don't carry them thar fancy eatables at our grocery store.

Seriously, I found this "sushi kit" at World Market over in the next town and I also saw that they have the nori there. I just didn't know what all I needed or if everything I did need was in that kit.


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## Alix (Jul 1, 2004)

Oops! Sorry Lori!


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## fat n happy (Jul 2, 2004)

whats in the kit lori? :?:


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## chefwannabe (Jul 2, 2004)

It's got a Sushi cookbook, chop sticks, little bowls, and I think two rolly things. I think it's only like $18-20. The cookbook alone is probably worth that much.


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## Psiguyy (Aug 30, 2004)

I'm coming into this late, but hope this info helps a bit.  

The rice should be gently washed until the rinse water runs fairly clear.  GENTLY because if you're rough, the grains will crack and break.  You don't want that.  

Add the cooking water to the pot using the depth of the rice as a guide.  In other words, if you have an inch of rice in the pot, add water until it's an inch above the rice.  Otherwise, use the measuring cup that comes with the rice cooker and add water until it corresponds with the markings in the pot.  If you put 5 rice cooker cups of rice in the pot, you fill the pot up the the line marked with the "5" on it.  

At this point, the rice must sit and soak for an hour.  This allows the rice to start absorbing some of the water.  The rice will turn white.  

Traditionally, you can put a piece of dashi konbu on top of the rice prior to cooking.  Remove the dashi konbu when rice is cooked.  

Once the rice is cooked, DO NOT lift the lid.  Keep the lid on the pot for at least 30 minutes.  

After 30 minutes of rest, the rice will be ready to be turned out, fanned, and seasoned.


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## GaArt (Oct 6, 2004)

I use Calrose rice for sushi.

It's nice and sticky.


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## -DEADLY SUSHI- (Jan 24, 2005)

bump!  :P


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## kitchenelf (Jan 24, 2005)

oh sure - anything with your name in it you want front page


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## Claire (Feb 5, 2005)

Brother, I started a new line, hope all forgive me and still chime in, because I had other questions.  I will probably use CalRose rice, because that is what everyone in Hawaii used AND I can get it locally.


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## Claire (Feb 20, 2005)

Now I'm not sure where to post this because I mentioned it in a couple of places.  I used to have a brain, where did I leave it?

My neighbors' sushi party was a huge hit.  We co-hosted it.  Hubby and I spent the day making nege maki (something for the true midwesterners who might not even try sushi), rice, and doing the cutting prep work for the sushis that interested us.  Then we went over, bamboo mat and rice in hand, and C (husband), hubby, and I made sushi while D (wife) made soup and finished up getting her house in order, for an hour before the first guests were to arrive.  I was very, very pleased, and I hope C&D were (they're very inexperienced party-throwers, very nervous about it, so doing it as a sushi party was a huge move ... I wouldn't have the courage to throw a sushi party in Galena, and I love throwing parties!).  I thought we made about 3X the amount of sushi we needed, but over half of it was eaten, whoa!!!  All of the sides went over well.  And Sake was a huge hit!!  It was a sort of block party, and one neighbor is a locally-famous cheesecake baker.  So you know desert was a hit.  But I simply was amazed at how much people enjoyed the sushi.  We did no raw fish (small midwestern town ... can't get it fresh enough), and I made sure that half the sushi would be pure vegetarian (cuke, avocado, asparagus, etc).  I think hubby's "formed" (I don't know the right word, the kind where you sort of make a cake of rice, then place something on top of it) sushi with shrimp was a huge hit (nothing unfamiliar!!!), but the rolled sushi went well.  The Chicagoan part of the party (about 1/3 of Galena is "sophisticated" people from Chicago) were thrilled, which really made us feel good.  

OK, now the downside, which isn't much.

#1  The nori seemed tough
#2  The rolls were too big (too much rice)

Hubby thinks the #1 problem was because we made the sushi up in advance and refrigerated it (in advance is an hour at the most).  I have a hard time buying this simply because in Hawaii and many other places I've been to sushi buffets where the sushi was not made right in front of me, and I don't remember the nori being tough.  We looked at four different books and didn't find anything we'd missed.  #2 I think is  just experience.  

Gone on too long already.  Let me know if you come up with anything, because this is a repeater sometime in the future.


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## kitchenelf (Feb 20, 2005)

Claire - your party was definately a success!! good job.  

If sushi is rolled too long the nori will absorb some of the water/liquid and become tough.  That's very possibly and very likely.  You might try, even though the nori you buy may already say "toasted" on the package - holding a sheet with tongs over a burner flame set on low.  Just about 10 seconds or so on each side.

It just takes less rice to make them smaller - keeping hands/fingertips wet to smooth a small amount of rice out.


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## Claire (Feb 20, 2005)

Thanks, Elf.  It'll probably be quite awhile before I make sushi again (heck, I was overwhelmed by how well it was accepted this time, let's not push it!) but will write your hints on a post-it and stick it in my sushi cookbook.  Another thing is that I'd swear I've seen sushi chefs (you have to understand, in Hawaii we had a neighborhood sushi bar and I doubt a month went by without sushi, plus sushi at every potluck) sprinkle the nori with water or something.  But we had three cookbooks and none mentioned wetting the nori.  Will be planning a trip to either Madison or the QC to see the real guys at work!!!  Yes, I'm proud of how the party turned out, and I didn't even throw it.  My neighbor (D) was already talking about how it could have been better.  I do that, too, after a party, but first I bask in how well it went!!  Guess I'm a half-full kinda girl.


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