Sushi

Good sushi, whatever the style, always begins with good vinegared sushi rice. Cooked sushi rice is slightly harder in texture than average boiled rice because it is cooked with less water to allow some room for the addition of sushi vinegar. It is particularly important to wash and rinse the rice, then let the wet grains stand for at least 30 minutes before cooking to allow them to absorb some water.

SUSHI VINEGAR

Sushi vinegar is a blend of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. It is the all-important, integral part of sushi, and gives otherwise plain rice a subtle sweet-and-sour taste and glossy sheen. There is no definitive recipe; the balance of sugar and salt can vary to suit different types of fillings or toppings—a slightly saltier vinegar mixture works well with strongly flavored or oily fish, such as mackerel, tuna, or salmon, while milder ingredients, such as vegetables and white fish, call for a mixture that is a little sweeter.

There are endless formulas, and each sushi chef jealously guards his secret recipe, but a very general guide is to use 10 parts vinegar, 5 parts sugar, and 1 part salt. You could reduce the salt quantity if you wanted a sweeter mixture.

▲ Rice vinegar

When you blend it with sugar and salt, Japanese rice vinegar becomes sushi vinegar. It is this that creates the distinctive taste of sushi rice.

How to prepare and use Vinegar mixture

Place the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a stainless steel saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Don’t let the mixture boil or it will spoil the flavor. Let it cool to room temperature before using it. You can make up sushi vinegar mixture in advance; just store it in a glass container in the refrigerator and use it within 3 months. When adding premixed sushi vinegar to cooked rice, use approximately ¹⁄₂ tbsp vinegar mixture per ¹⁄₂ cup cooked rice.

2 If using kombu, make a few cuts in it to help release its flavor as it cooks.

3 Put the washed rice and the 1¹⁄₂ cups water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the kombu, if using, and let the water stand for 10–15 minutes before turning on the heat to medium. When the water comes to a boil, increase the heat to high and cook for an additional 5 minutes. All the while, resist the temptation to lift the lid, but listen for the sound of boiling and watch for escaping trails of steam instead.

4 Reduce the heat to low and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, then turn off the heat. With the lid still on, let the rice stand and steam for 10–15 minutes. Meanwhile, soak the wooden rice tub, or hangiri, in cold water. If you are using an alternative, such as a wide flat dish or salad bowl, moisten it with a damp cloth. Lift the lid and discard the kombu.

5 Wipe the rice tub of excess water (no need to do this if you are using an alternative dish) and transfer the cooked rice to it. Sprinkle a little of the vinegar mixture over a spatula into the rice.

6 Spread the rice evenly in the tub. Slowly add a little more of the vinegar mixture, using a slicing action to coat the grains of rice and separate them.

7 Fan the rice gently to cool it. Continue to fold the vinegar mixture into the rice with the spatula until it begins to look glossy and has cooled to room temperature. If you are not using the sushi rice immediately, cover it with a clean, damp cloth to stop it drying out and set aside in a cool place—but never refrigerate. Refrigeration makes the rice hard and dry; the vinegar mixture preserves the rice. Use within the day.