Make Ahead Sushi Rice Recipes

PERFECT SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• Rinse the rice in a strainer or colander until the water runs clear. Combine with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Rice should be tender and water should be absorbed. Cool until cool enough to handle.
• In a small saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, oil, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Cool, then stir into the cooked rice. When you pour this in to the rice it will seem very wet. Keep stirring and the rice will dry as it cools.

SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• Place the rice into a mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Swirl the rice in the water, pour off and repeat 2 to 3 times or until the water is clear.
• Place the rice and 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature before using to make sushi or sashimi.

CHEF JOHN'S EASY SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• Place rice in a strainer and rinse under cold water until run-off turns from cloudy to completely clear, about 2 minutes. Place strainer over a bowl and let drain until almost dry, about 1 hour. Transfer to a heavy bottom saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.
• Pour water over rice. Place pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer without stirring. As soon as little bubbles appear on the surface and rice starts to simmer, reduce heat to low and cover pan. Cook for exactly 10 minutes. Remove from heat; lift lid for 1 second and cover again immediately. Let sit another 10 minutes.
• Transfer rice to a rimmed sheet pan and spread out with a fork, fanning (with a magazine or similar object) to start to cool it. Sprinkle about half the rice vinegar on the rice while gently tossing it. Continue fanning to bring rice to just over room temperature. Sprinkle the rest of rice vinegar over the rice and toss with fork to blend evenly. A small amount of rice should be easily formed into an oblong sushi base, but easily crumble when cut with a fork.

MAKE-AHEAD SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• Cook the rice by your desired method. I use a rice cooker and find I need about 2 1/2 cups water and a small knob of butter.
• If you prefer to use a pan use the directions in recipe #176527.
• When the rice is frozen, pack it tightly into a small cup (my rice cooker came with a 1/2 cup measurer which I use).
• Turn out onto a plate and leave to cool slightly. When cool place in freezer on plate until completely cold and easy to handle without breaking. At this stage transfer to a freezer bag and store tightly closed.
• When the rice is needed, remove from freezer in morning and leave in fridge or leave out on the side (this takes about an hour).
• Crumble the rice with your hands and mix together the ingredients for the dressing. Stir through the rice.
• Microwave for 1 minute to take the chill off.
• Give the rice a good stir and use to make sushi. Each 1/2 cup timbale makes 1 sushi "log".

PERFECT SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• Rinse and swirl sushi rice in a good quality pot that takes about 4 times its volume; drain in a strainer or sieve. Do this three times and return the rice to the pot. Add the cooking water.
• Bring the rice and water to the boil on high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting, place the lid tightly on the pot, set your timer/cellphone/watch to 20 minutes and DO NOT REMOVE THE LID FOR EVEN A MOMENT.
• In the meantime make the sushi-su (rice vinegar mix). Mix the rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl and microwave for a minute or so. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Also use this time to prepare your other ingredients.
• When your timer goes off after 20 minutes turn the heat to zero, STILL DO NOT REMOVE THE LID, and set your timer/cellphone/watch to another 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes YOU MAY REMOVE THE LID! and turn the rice out into a large bowl - glass, ceramic, wood or plastic only.
• When it has cooled for a few minutes use a large blunt implement such as a flat-ended wooden spoon to make some gentle but deep incisions into the rice and pour half the sushi-su all over and into the cooling rice.
• Gently turn the rice with your implement taking care not to make it stickier. Make a few more incisions, and pour the rest of the vinegar. Turn gently again as you allow the sushi rice to cool to body temperature before starting to make your sushi.
• Bonus tip 1: While making sushi keep a bowl of clean slightly warm water next to you and frequently wet your hand as you spread the sushi rice onto the nori (with nori rough-side up) to prevent it sticking to your hand.
• Bonus tip 2: Make everyday sushi with ingredients you already have on hand. Vegetarian maki rolls are fabulous and can include carrot (shavings or fine sticks), avocado (thinly sliced), cucumber (thinly sliced lengthwise, small Mediterranean cucumbers are best with lower water content than English cucumbers), sesame seed (dry-toasted), spring onion (green onion or scallion), sweet red, orange or yellow pepper (pimento, finely sliced lengthwise), firm juicy-fleshed fruit such as strawberry and melon, and of course wasabi and Japanese Kewpie Doll mayonnaise.
• Bonus tip 3: Only dip in Kikkoman soya sauce. Tens of thousands of sushi chefs around the world can't be wrong.

SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• The most important thing to get right when cooking sushi rice is the ratio of rice to water. It's better to use a volume measure rather than weighing. Use a cook's 250ml measuring cup if you have one, or a short glass, teacup or small mug. Once you've made one batch, you'll know how much cooked rice that measure makes - it should be about 2½ cups.
• Measure out 1 cup rice into a saucepan, rinse the rice, swirling it around the pan, then drain off the water. Try not to lose any of the rice. Add 1½ cups water (about 375ml).
• Bring the rice to a simmer quickly, put on a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 13 mins - don't take the lid off.
• Check a couple of grains at the top - the rice should be just about cooked and the water evaporated. If not, continue to cook and check at 2 min intervals, each brand of rice will differ. Turn the heat off and leave the rice to stand with the lid on for 10 mins so all the moisture is absorbed. Add sushi rice seasoning, if you like, and serve.

SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• In large bowl, wash rice in several changes of cold water until water is clear. Transfer to strainer and drain well.
• In medium saucepan over moderately high heat, combine rice and 2 cups water. Cover and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. (Alternatively, steam in rice cooker according to manufacturer's instructions.) Let rice stand, covered, 10 minutes.
• While rice is cooking, in small saucepan over moderate heat, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and kombu. Bring to simmer, stirring until sugar and salt are dissolved (do not let mixture boil). Remove from heat, discard kombu, and cool liquid to room temperature.
• Turn cooked rice out into large nonreactive bowl. Cool by fanning with small plate and turning over with chopsticks or spoon until steam stops rising from surface. Gradually drizzle vinegar mixture over rice, continuing to fan and turn, until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooled to room temperature and shiny. (Rice may be made up to 6 hours ahead and stored at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap. Do not refrigerate.)

PERFECT SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• In large bowl, wash rice in several changes of cold water until water is clear. Transfer to a large saucepan; add 2 cups water. Let stand for 30 minutes., Cover saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes., Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved., Transfer rice to a shallow bowl; sprinkle with vinegar mixture. Set aside remaining vinegar mixture for assembly. With a wooden paddle or spoon, stir rice with a slicing motion until cooled. Cover with a damp cloth to keep moist. (Rice mixture may be made up to 6 hours ahead and stored at room temperature, covered, with a damp towel. Do not refrigerate.)