Minados Perfect Sushi Rice Recipes

MITSUKO'S PERFECT SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, add rice and cover with lots of water. Stir rice in water with your hands, then pour off most of the water, and agitate 10 to 15 times by quickly moving your hand back and forth, swishing rice against side of bowl. Rinse the rice several more times, until the water that drains off of the rice is almost clear. Transfer the rice to a colander and let drain for 1 hour, undisturbed. Transfer the rice to a rice cooker, add the water, cover, and cook as directed by manufacturer's directions.
• While the rice is cooking, bring rice vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan, and then remove from the heat. Add sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• When rice is done, allow cooked rice to remain in rice cooker for 10 minutes. Transfer rice to a large shallow mixing bowl (traditionally a wooden tub, called a hangiri), so that rice forms a mound in the center of the bowl. Using a diagonal slicing motion, gently cut into rice with a wooden paddle (called a kijakushi), and pour cooled vinegar mixture over top of rice. "Cut" rice several times to evenly distribute vinegar mixture, then allow to cool. Gently turn rice over from time to time with paddle so that rice cools evenly. You might want to consider using a fan if time is of the essence. When rice has cooled to body temperature, it is ready to use for sushi rolls. Rice can be kept at the proper temperature by placing it in an insulated container such as a small ice chest, covered with a damp kitchen towel.

MASTER SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• Wash rice at least 3 times or until water is clear. Fill rice cooker with water to about 1-inch over rice or use Mt Fuji method. I highly recommend a rice cooker -- there's a reason more than 2 billion people in Asia use them. Slowly heat vinegar, mirin and sugar until very hot but not boiling. Fold in 'su' (vinegar and sugar) with the hot rice, add enough so that the rice has a tart/sweet taste. Rice should be shiny, not mushy. Carefully clean inside rim of bowl with damp cloth, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
• In a bowl, whisk together honey, mustard, lemon juice and oil. Add crab, herbs and minced shallot. Season with salt and pepper and check flavor.
• Lay nori, shiny side down on sushi mat and lightly pat on rice on bottom half of nori, 1/4 inch thick. Place crab filling 2/3 up on rice. Roll, moisten end to seal and let rest.
• In a bowl, mix flour with togarashi, or chili powder, and whisk in club soda until a pancake batter thickness is achieved. Dip the shrimp and scallions in the tempura batter and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Lay the nori vertically with the shiny side down. Using wet hands, lightly place a 1/4-inch thick layer of rice on the bottom half of the nori. Place one shrimp and scallion fan diagonally across the rice from the top left corner to the bottom right. Lay daikon sprouts on top and add a touch of wasabi oil. Roll a cone by bringing the bottom left corner of the nori to half way up the right side edge then roll over. Moisten the top edge to glue. Repeat process.
• In a stainless steel bowl, whisk together wasabi, mirin and sugar. Add water until a loose puree is achieved. Whisk in oil. For extra heat, use less oil.
• Combine all the ingredients and reduce at a simmer until a syrup consistency is achieved, about a 60 to 70 percent reduction. Let cool.
• PLATING
• On a huge white platter, drizzle soy syrup, wasabi oil, sesame seeds, gari and scallions all over. Slice maki-sushi using both bias and straight cuts. Place hand rolls leaning against sushi. Enjoy.
• Wine Suggestion: Haru Junmai-Ginjo Sake

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.)

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.

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.

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.