Simple Seasoned Sushi Rice Recipe

Whether you are making homemade sushi or want authentic sushi rice as a side dish, this recipe is the one for you. In a little over 40 minutes, you can be enjoying this simple seasoned sushi rice. This recipe is brought to us by wellness coach Miriam Hahn who says, "I love making Asian food and have come to love this sticky rice for all kinds of meals." She goes on to say, "I use it in buddha bowls, stir-fries, tofu dishes, and spring rolls. The simple seasonings have just enough flavor to set it apart from standard rice." If you want to try your hand at rolling sushi, we think you will love it in this spicy crab salad sushi recipe or this California roll recipe.

So what makes sushi rice so different? First off is the texture. Since sushi rice is made with short-grain rice and made with less water than typical rice, it holds together in a sticky fashion. It also has a light seasoning of vinegar and sugar, and this sweet-n-sour combo is pretty darn good.

With only six ingredients this makes for a quick trip to the store or a brief stroll in your kitchen. You will need short-grain rice, water, kombu, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.  Kombu is a sea vegetable that is loaded with minerals from the sea and by cooking with it, you pass on those minerals to your food while also distributing a bit of "sea" flavor, and additionally, it helps with digestion. Hahn says, "If you don't have the kombu on hand, you can omit it but, if you want to keep things authentic visit your local Asian market, or purchase it on Amazon so you can include it."

To start, get out your colander of choice because rinsing the rice is our first step. Oh, and we're not talking a quick shake under the sink, we're talking a solid 3 minutes rinse. We are doing this to remove excess starch so the rice doesn't get gummy. We want it sticky, but gummy is a whole different ballgame. Once rinsed, add it to a pot with water and let it soak for 30 minutes. Then place the kombu strip on top, bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. When the rice is done, remove and discard the kombu, transfer it to a large bowl, and let it cool for 10 minutes.

While the rice is cooking we're going to make our simple seasoning. Take out a small pot and combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Whisk and cook on low heat for 5 minutes just making sure the sugar has dissolved.

After the rice has finished cooling, pour the vinegar mixture into the bowl and gently combine. Now you are ready to get rolling some sushi or serving the rice with something fabulous. Wasn't that simple?