Our Cookbook

Japanese

Sushi rice (shari)

Properly seasoned Japanese short-grain rice — the base for any sushi.

  • YieldAbout 6 medium rolls
  • Prep10m
  • Cook1h
  • Effortweeknight

  • 540ml Japanese short-grain rice (3 rice-cooker cups, about 450g)
  • 540ml water
  • 5g kombu (a 5cm square) optional
  • 80ml unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt

Method

  1. Rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear, then drain well.
  2. Add the rice, measured water and kombu to a rice cooker. Soak for 20-30 minutes, then cook on the sushi setting.
  3. Meanwhile, gently heat the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small pan over a medium-high heat until nearly boiling and the sugar has dissolved; cool completely.
  4. Turn the hot cooked rice out into a wooden sushi tub (hangiri) or onto a moistened tray, discarding the kombu. Pour over the cooled vinegar mixture while the rice is still hot.
  5. Using a rice paddle held at 45°, slice and fold through the rice to distribute the seasoning, fanning vigorously to cool it and drive off excess moisture.
  6. Cover with a damp cloth and use at room temperature.

Notes

The base for maki sushi rolls. For a smaller batch (about 4 rolls) use 360ml rice and 360ml water, 4 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt.

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