Sushi Confidential: Sushi rice
Sushi Confidential
I’d say the rice is more important than the fish/ingredient.
Fish should be meticulously cared for, and half the time the fish is not technically served raw. Not really. It’s usually treated with vinegar or cured, something. This is why a lot of times sushi can be so incredible and sometimes standard. Caring for the ingredient is wildly important but it’s also these touches how the chef chooses to prepare the fish/ingredient.
Sushi rice I argue is more important because it’s the foundation of sushi itself. It's so difficult because it’s one ingredient. Every step is a moving bullseye. If you fuck it up, you fucked up the whole thing. Can’t hide it in the dish, can’t mask it with whatever.
The most difficult aspect is that every bag of rice is different even from the same farmer. We use the words “softer” or “harder” to describe how absorbent the rice is.
Firstly, washing the rice is crucial. You want to scrub the rice with your hands as you rinse but you must be delicate. You don’t want to break the kernel of each grain. For one, the starchy flavor bursts when you break the kernel and ideally that is done when the person chews on it. For two, when you break the rice, it’s now smaller and doesn’t cook evenly.
From there, soaking the rice is very important. Again, some batches are softer or harder, needing more or less water and soaking time. Cooking is actually the easiest part.
Sushi vinegar consists of three things, vinegar sugar and salt. I know the recipe that I was taught, but some people like it sweeter or saltier. Matter of taste.
From there you mix the rice in a big round container called a hangiri. This is the epitome of moving bullseye. Depends on the amount of rice, how soft it is, and you want to use the perfect amount of sushi vinegar, no more or less. You want to touch it as little as possible but you want that shine.
From there whether you transfer to an insulated container or not, it’s kind of like a refrigerator when the power is out. In this case, every time you open it, it loses heat.
The hardest part is when you overdo it just ONE TIME. Your teacher will FOREVER remind you, "don't use too much."
Moving bullseye.
E
#ARTiculate