This Is Key To Perfect Sushi Rice Every Time

Sushi is delicious, but it can get real pricey real quick if you're ordering it out at a restaurant all the time. On the other hand, you really should think twice before buying sushi at the grocery store, as it just doesn't compare to a properly made sushi meal. Luckily, there is another alternative, and that's making your own sushi at home. Although homemade sushi may seem intimidating at first, it really isn't, and you can achieve great results at home, especially if you keep a few key tips for making homemade sushi in mind, such as buying the best quality fish possible, using the right type of rice, and prepping and cooking the rice properly. And the key to ensuring perfect sushi rice every time? Make sure it's seasoned and handled properly.

We spoke to celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto at this year's US Open, as part of Flavors of the Open presented by DOBEL. According to the Iron Chef, "One of the most important elements to perfect sushi rice is to make sure you are balancing the sweetness and acidity by using the right amount of sushi vinegar, salt, and sugar."

The combo of tangy, sweet, and salty that you get from adding rice vinegar (or sushi vinegar), sugar, and salt to sushi rice offers an ideal balance and contrast to the flavors of raw fish. Our simple seasoned sushi rice recipe calls for using ¼ cup of rice vinegar, 4 teaspoons of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt to 2 cups of sushi rice (Japanese short-grain rice). Note that the rice vinegar in this case should be unseasoned. If you do use seasoned rice vinegar (such as in the ingredient list for this spicy crab salad sushi), you may not need to add any sugar or salt, since seasoned rice vinegar generally already includes sugar, and sometimes salt and MSG as well. Start with these proportions and adjust the ingredients for your personal taste.

Once your sushi rice is seasoned properly, then it's time to use it to make nigiri sushi or your favorite sushi roll. Chef Masaharu Morimoto has one final reminder for this step of the sushi making process, which is, "the rice needs to be handled gently to avoid mashing the grains." With proper ingredients, technique, flavor, and a little practice, you'll soon be making perfect sushi at home.