How to cook and prepare Sushi Rice or Shari


The most important technique in the preparation of sushi is how to make sushi rice, called 'shari,' 'sushi-meshi' or 'su-meshi' (meaning: vinegar[ed]-[cooked] rice) with the correct balance of rice and vinegar. The taste of the sushi relies on the flavour of the rice by as much as 60%, which means that when eating sushi, the quality of the 'shari' is every bit as important as the preparation of the fish itself.


Here are some important tips for preparing Shari at home


Ingredients:
Rice – 4 Cups

Rice Vinegar – 5 tbs.
Sea Salt – 1½ tbs.

Sugar – 5 tbs.
Sake – 1 tsp. (optional)


How to select rice:

When getting started, the rice itself does not have to be of a particularly high grade – any short-grained rice will suffice.


The most important factor in selecting a short-grain white rice is how much that brand is capable of absorbing water, which corresponds to how much vinegar is to be soaked into the cooked rice, because the degree of the penetration of the vinegar into the rice plays an important role in the taste of shari, and thus the sushi itself. Thus, older, long stored, drier rice is often the best kind


How to cook rice:
1. Wash the rice thoroughly, rinsing about 3 times

2. Mix the rice and water at a ratio of 1:1 (much less than usual) – leave to soak for about 30-45 minutes
3. Cook rice normally, but when finished, leave covered for 15 minutes


How to vinegar the cooked rice:

Add vinegar immediately. The rice-vinegar mixture should be prepared 30 minutes before eating to allow the vingar to properly blend with the rice.


Basic Recipe Add salt to vinegar first and warm it up slightly, then add sugar – a little heat helps the solids to dissolve.



Mixing technique:

The most important point is the temperature of the cooked rice, which is the key factor enabling the vinegar to penetrate the rice, and this is crucial to the preparation of sushi rice.


As soon as the rice has been cooked put it into a bowl or plate and spread (sprinkle) the vinegar mixture over the rice while it is still hot (around 90°C) and mix thoroughly for about 1 minute.


Leave to cool slightly and mix again (at 70°C) and spread onto a wooden plate. Leave for 1 minute to allow the plate to absorb the excess ‘sweat’. Then cover with a damp towel and leave to cool for 15 minutes.
When the rice is at 30°C (ideal temperature), it is ready to make sushi.


How to make Nigiri (Rice and Fish) by hand:

1. Moisten your hands with water and vinegar, warm them to the same temperature as the ‘shari’ to avoid sticking.
2. Don’t squeeze the shari and fish together, leave some air spaces if possible.

3. Leave to cool fully – as the rice cools, it contracts, sticking to the fish