Rice is indispensable.
It absorbs sauce like a champ. It hugs raw fish. It’s a suitable restoration mortar for ancient masonry. And it deserves more of your time than a minute.
Sushi rice is noteworthy in particular. There’s something about its peculiar brand of gumminess that’s just lovely – it’s tailor-made for chopsticks, obviously, and pairs perfectly with thick sauces loaded with veggies of your choosing. The key is not only in the grain itself – you must use japonica, also known as Japanese rice – but also, after cooking, combining it with a small amount of vinegar, salt, and sugar. This gives the rice its characteristic sweet bite that perfectly complements buttery, raw, high-grade tuna – or whatever saucy dish you’re spooning over it tonight.
Sushi Rice
Halved and somewhat adapted from LucyDelRey’s AllRecipes post.
makes: 4 small or 3 large servings as a side.
time: 25 minutes
1 cup uncooked glutinous white rice (sushi/Japanese rice – I use Calrose)
1 1/2 cups water
3 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon white sugar
a pinch of salt
1. Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Combine with water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Rice should be tender and water should be absorbed. Cool, uncovered, for 3 minutes.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, oil, sugar and salt. Cook, stirring, over medium heat, until the sugar dissolves. Stir into the cooked rice. The rice it may seem very wet, but keep stirring and it should absorb and dry as it cools.
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