One of the most popular healthy lifestyle suggestions is to make a switch from refined carbs to healthier whole grains. From standard pasta to whole wheat pasta. From white bread to whole wheat bread. And from white rice to brown rice. These changes are often simple and interchangeable, requiring little modifications to achieve desired results. When substituting short grain brown rice for the traditional short grain white rice in sushi applications, the conversion requires a bit more than swapping the rice. But with a little know how, the results can be quite tasty. Here’s what you need to know: To rinse or not to rinse. White rice requires rinsing until the water runs clear to eliminate starches. When using brown rice, it is not necessary to rinse the rice as much. One rinsing will do the trick. White rice should be drained to ensure that the excess water does not affect the amount of cooking liquid. Brown rice does not have to be drained. When steaming white rice, less water than rice is used.

With brown rice, you will use a one to three ratio of rice to water. Brown sushi rice is less sticky than traditional sushi rice and works best in hand rolls and other rolls where the seaweed rather than rice is on the outside. 1 cup short grain brown rice 1/2 cup plain, unseasoned rice vinegar 1/4 cup raw honey 1/2 TBSP sea salt In a medium sized bowl, run cold water over rice and swish gently before draining. Place rinsed rice in a rice cooker with 3 cups cool water. Press start and DO NOT OPEN LID FOR EXACTLY 40 MINUTES. While rice is steaming, whisk rice vinegar, honey and salt in a non metal bowl until mixed well. Dampen a wooden cutting board or bowl. (If using plastic, do not dampen. Never use metal for mixing sushi rice.) When the rice has steamed for exactly 40 minutes, place on the cutting board or in the bowl. Toss rice with about 1/4 cup the dressing or more to taste. Smooth rice in a thin layer and allow to cool completely. Makes 2 1/2 cups rice.

Sushi Rice, the Secret Behind Delicious Sushi I am finally delivering on my promise to talk about seasoned vinegar (sushi-su) and sushi rice (sumeshi).  Sushi rice, or rice dressed with a seasoned vinegar, is an essential component of a variety of sushi dishes.  In fact, sushi wouldn’t be sushi without this rice.  what to order at sushi sekiIf you are serving slices of fresh uncooked fish without any sushi rice, you are serving sashimi!  sushi rice philippines where to buyMy experience is that semi-decent sushi can be ruined by bad sushi rice.  best rice for sushi brandIf you can make good sushi rice, there is no reason why you can’t make delicious sushi at home!sushi train order form

Sushi Rice Tips & Tricks Use polished (white) short-grain Japanese rice (japonica) or medium-grain California rice.  These types of rice are often labeled as sushi rice or Calrose rice at the store here in the US. Wash your rice to get rid of the starchy powder that clings to the grains. This starchy powder will prevent proper absorption of the sushi-su and give you less than perfect rice.  To wash rice, place your measured rice into a bowl and cover it with fresh cold water.  Use your hand to swish and stir the rice around and then carefully drain the water (I use a fine-mesh strainer to do this).  Repeat this process until the water runs clear. If you eat a lot of rice, a rice cooker is a wonderful investment because it eliminates timing problems, makes perfect rice, and many cookers offer a warming function that keeps rice fresh ahd warm for 24 hours.  My favorite that I’ve personally used is Zojirushi’s Neuro Fuzzy Logic.  But again, it’s an investment!

It is best to mix the seasoned vinegar with the cooked rice  in a sushi-oke or an unvarnished wooden bowl, but you can also use a wide shallow glass or ceramic bowl.  I use a wide shallow glass mixing bowl, because that is what I have on hand.  Do not, however, use an aluminum bowl, as this type of bowl will retain heat differently and give the rice a metallic taste. Prepared sushi rice should be stored at cool room temperature, covered with a moist cloth or plastic wrap. It will keep this way for up to 12 hours.  Do not refrigerate it or freeze it, as this destroys the texture. How to Make Sushi-su (Seasoned Vinegar for Sushi Rice) There are many recipes for sushi-su (seasoned vinegar), but all use the same basic components: rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.  Some recipes also through in a small piece of kombu, which adds more depth of flavor, but this is optional.  I prefer my sushi-su to be not as sweet as some.  Once you make your own, you can adjust the sugar to suit your personal taste! 

This recipe makes 1 cup of sushi-su.  I like to make extra sushi-su so that I can use it as a salad dressing (you can add some sesame or olive oil, but I like it without).  It is delicious tossed with baby arugula and then sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. The sushi-su to rice proportions that I like to use are: 3 cups cooked rice: use 1/4 – 1/3 cup sushi-su 4 cups cooked rice: use 1/2 – 2/3 cup sushi-su 5 cups cooked rice: use 2/3 – 1 cup sushi-su Sushi-Su (Seasoned Vinegar for Sushi Rice) 1 cup rice vinegar 2 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 piece kombu, 2-inches square (optional) Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and kombu in a small saucepan.  Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve.  When the mixture is clear, remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside to cool.  Discard the piece of kombu.  Sushi-su can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

How to Make Sushi Rice 1. Transfer the freshly cooked hot rice to a wide shallow bowl.  Pour a small amount of the sushi-su evenly over the rice.  Toss the rice by gently cutting into it vertically with your rice paddle (or spatula), and then lifting the rice and turning it over.  As you do this, fan the rice with a hand fan or piece of cardboard (or get someone to help you).  Add more of the sushi-su and continue the cutting, folding, and fanning process.  Fanning the rice facilitates quick cooling, which gelatinizes the surface of the rice and gives a glossy finish to the rice.   Towards the end, taste the rice occasionally to decide how much of you sushi-su you want to add. 2. Cover the seasoned rice with a moist cloth or plastic wrap until ready to use. Now that you’ve got delicious sushi rice, you can start making sushi! Here are some ideas to get you started: Smoked Salmon, Creeam Cheese, & Jalapeno Temaki Sushi FM’s Quick & Easy Chirashi Sushi