This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about how to make my sister Tamiko's Sushi Rice Recipe for the rice cooker!
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If you want the perfect sushi rice, then you will want to make it in an electric rice cooker for the best results! Making it in the rice cooker is the easiest way, and yields great results every time!
Please read on to learn how to make the most delicious sushi rice in your rice cooker!
What Kind Of Rice Will I Need To Make Sushi Rice?
Let me begin by explaining what rice you will need to use to make sushi rice.
Sushi rice is a short grain rice. The short rice grains cook up tender and moist, and becomes a sticky rice.
Other types of rice such as long-grain rice and jasmine rice are not suitable for use to make sushi rice. These rices are either too fragrant or too dry and will not yield the chewy and sticky texture that we are after.
Use any Japanese short grain white rice or rice that is labeled "sushi rice" for this recipe. Some very well known brands include Nishiki (which is actually a medium grain rice from California) and Kokuho Rose, also from California. It's perfectly ok to use a short grain rice from your local grocery store brand labeled "sushi rice" which is what I used for this recipe.
What Ingredients Will I Need To Make Sushi Rice?
Now that we know what kind of rice we need to make sushi rice, let's discuss the other ingredients.
The word sushi actually means "sour rice" in Japanese. The rice used for what we know as sushi is seasoned and moistened with vinegar, hence the "sour rice." So, making great seasoned rice for sushi is the most important step!
Here are the ingredients you will need to make our sushi rice:
- Japanese short-grain rice, or rice labeled "sushi rice." Great options are Nishiki and Kokuho Rose
- Rice vinegar. I like to use Nishiki Rice Vinegar, which is a product of Japan
- Sugar
- Salt
- Sake. I like to use Gekkeikan Sake, which is commonly found in grocery stores.
- Kombu (dried seaweed). This is optional but adding it to your rice cooker will impart a lovely umami flavor to the rice!
You may come across a product labeled "sushi vinegar." This vinegar mixture already has salt and sugar mixed into it. You can sub sushi vinegar if you like, and omit the sugar and salt if using this.
Now, let's get that rice cooker out and let's make this sushi rice recipe for the rice cooker!
Instructions
Cook The Sushi Rice In The Rice Cooker
Begin by washing the uncooked rice with cold water. Place the rice in a large bowl and cover with the water. Gently mix with your hands until the water becomes cloudy and milky. Pour off most of the water, and add more cold water. Massage again, and continue these steps until the water is mostly clear.
Drain the water from the rice once the water is almost clear.
Place the rinsed rice in your rice cooker bowl, and add fresh water. The normal water to rice ratio when cooking sushi rice is 1:1. However when making sushi rice, we will add slightly less water than normal, around 10 percent less.
At this time, also add the kombu if using. Cover the rice cooker, and cook the rice according to your rice cooker instructions.
Make The Sushi Vinegar Dressing
While the rice is cooking, make the sushi vinegar dressing.
Combine the sake, rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Place the saucepan over a low heat and stir to dissolve the sugar and the salt. Keep it on a low heat until ready to use.
Combine The Cooked Rice With The Sushi Vinegar Dressing
When the rice has finished cooking, remove the kombu.
Then it's time to combine the cooked rice with the sushi vinegar dressing. Now, you can use a shallow container such as a Pyrex baking dish as I did. Or, you can enjoy a more authentic experience by the traditional way of using a hangiri! A hangiri is a traditional wooden mixing tub which is designed to absorb moisture and to aid in cooling the rice down quickly.
Place rice in your container of choice, and then add the mixture of rice vinegar, sake, sugar and salt to the rice. Try to pour the mixture as evenly over the rice as you can. Be sure to add the dressing to HOT rice and do not allow the rice to cool prior to adding the dressing.
Now it's time to mix! Many rice cookers come with a plastic rice paddle. If you have this, use the paddle to mix your rice. I read in this thekitchn.com article called "Yes, the Paddle That Came with Your Rice Cooker Has a Purpose" the paddle is ideal to use to mix the rice, because it "cuts through the grains of rice as you mix, instead of smashing the grains together."
If you do not have a rice paddle, then you can use a spatula or wooden spoon.
Take your rice paddle, and mix the rice by slicing through it from top to bottom, and then left to right. Be sure not to stir or mash the rice, but use slicing motions. You are aiming for the dressing to coat each grain of rice.
Once the dressing has coated each grain of rice (as much as you can tell anyway!), it's time to spread out the rice in an even layer, and allow it to cool to room temperature as quickly as possible.
One way to do this is to use a fan (paddle fan or folding fan) or even an electric fan! During this cooling process, turn the rice over so that the bottom portion of the rice can be fanned as well.
And that's it! You have made the perfect sushi rice in the rice cooker!
Storing Your Perfect Rice!
It's important to cover your vinegared rice with a damp towel to keep it from drying out. After covering, you can leave it on your counter until you are ready to use your rice.
It is recommended to enjoy the rice on the same day that you prepare it.
How To Use Your Sushi Rice
You can enjoy your sushi rice in so many ways! Here are some ideas on how to use your sushi rice:
- Sushi roll (such as California rolls)
- Rice bowls
- Poke bowls
- Side dish to accompany any of your favorite main meals
I hope that this excellent sushi rice recipe for the rice cooker will become your go to easy recipe for this dish!
My Sister Tami
My sister Tami was Japanese and one of her favorite foods was sushi. Our family recently lost her on July 10, 2022. Tami was an incredible and beautiful person, simply one of the best people ever and I will miss her always.
She suffered from lupus for many years and had many times when she suffered tremendously. During one of those times, I remember we got together and made sushi. She also hand wrote her sushi seasoning recipe for me, which you see here.
There were also very many good times when she enjoyed better health, times that we were so grateful for.
I hope that I am able to do my sister proud and so happy to share her recipe for her beloved sushi rice here with you.
I love and miss you Tami. ❤️
Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!
Easy and Delicious Blistered Japanese Shishito Peppers Recipe!
Super Easy Japanese Teriyaki Chicken!
I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here. 😊
Cheers!
Grace
Tamiko's Sushi Rice Recipe For The Rice Cooker
Equipment
- 1 electric rice cooker
- 1 large shallow container to combine the rice and sushi vinegar dressing in
- 1 damp cloth to cover the rice and keep it moist
- 1 rice paddle or wooden spoon or spatula
- 1 small saucepan to make the sushi vinegar dressing
Ingredients
- 2 cups sushi rice
- 1.8 cups water use just under 2 cups to cook the rice
- piece kombu optional but adds a great flavor!
Sushi Vinegar dressing
- 2 ts sake
- 5 ts rice vinegar
- 2 ts sugar
- 2 ts salt
Instructions
- Begin by washing the uncooked rice with cold water. Place the rice in a large bowl and cover with the water. Gently mix with your hands until the water becomes cloudy and milky. Pour off most of the water, and add more cold water. Massage again, and continue these steps until the water is mostly clear. Drain the water from the rice once the water is almost clear.
- Place the rinsed rice in your rice cooker bowl, and add fresh water (around 1.8 cups of water). At this time, also add the kombu if using. Cover the rice cooker, and cook the rice according to your rice cooker instructions. My rice cooker took around 15 minutes to cook the rice.
- While the rice is cooking, make the sushi vinegar dressing. Combine the sake, rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Place the saucepan over a low heat and stir to dissolve the sugar and the salt. Keep it on a low heat until ready to use.
- When the rice has finished cooking, remove the kombu. Place rice in your large shallow container, and then add the mixture of rice vinegar, sake, sugar and salt to the rice. Try to pour the mixture as evenly over the rice as you can. Be sure to add the dressing to HOT rice and do not allow the rice to cool prior to adding the dressing. Take your rice paddle (or spatula or wooden spoon), and mix the rice by slicing through it from top to bottom, and then left to right. Be sure not to stir or mash the rice, but use slicing motions. You are aiming for the dressing to coat each grain of rice.
- Once the dressing has coated each grain of rice (as much as you can tell anyway!), it's time to spread out the rice in an even layer, and allow it to cool to room temperature as quickly as possible. One way to do this is to use a fan (paddle fan or folding fan) or even an electric fan! During this cooling process, turn the rice over so that the bottom portion of the rice can be fanned as well.
- And that's it! You have made the perfect sushi rice in the rice cooker!
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