In ancient times, rice was a means of preservingfish. Cut into small pieces of fish, the salt was poured into salt and mixed with rice. Rice, exposed to natural fermentation, provided the product with long storage. When necessary, the fish were taken and served to the table, and the rice that was cleaned from the fish was simply thrown away or a new portion of fish was marinated in it. In the XVI century, someone thought of trying a product after pickling fish in it and only after that it was used for food. Before us, this dish came in the form of sushi. In our time, when sushi and rolls are gaining popularity among the population, many express the desire to prepare these dishes on their own. And together with other questions on this occasion the main one arises: how to cook rice for sushi correctly? It should be clarified right away that traditional rice for sushi without certain products will not be welded. In addition to a suitable rice dish, you need rice vinegar and seaweed kombu, or, as they are called in another way, nori, without which it is impossible to make the rolls themselves. You can buy the necessary vinegar and algae today in many large retail chains. As the rolls and sushi are popularized, the necessary ingredients are found easier. Special Japanese rice for sushi in Russia is not to be found (unless acquaintances bring it from the Land of the Rising Sun), this dish uses any round grain rice. And it is very suitable for sushi, which has long been tested in practice by many culinary specialists.
Calculation and general principles of making sushi
Before you start to prepare the rump, you need thoughwould roughly calculate its required amount. From 1 kg of dry product, usually 16-18 portions of rolls are obtained. For one person, usually 2.5-3.5 servings are enough. For two, 330 grams of rice will be needed in dry form. Recipes for rice preparation for sushi exist in many interpretations, as well as with the usual preparation of rice, but there are principles by which all recipes are guided:
- groats should be boiled until cooked;
- of sugar, salt and rice vinegar preparing refueling;
- Finished croup is filled with the finished mixture in a large container.
Rhys, no matter what he is: special or round-grain - washed in running water until it becomes completely transparent. According to the rules of the Japanese, the surfacing grains also need to be removed, since they are considered bad. In addition, the dark rice and everything that is not rice is removed. If you follow all the requirements of Japanese traditional culinary arts, then the grain should be washed like that. The right amount of product is poured into a large container, filled with a large amount of water and quickly mixed. Muddy water then merges and the rice is rubbed with palms and washed again with water. This procedure is repeated to clean water. Then the washed product is thrown back to the colander to drain all the water and only then re-soaked in cold water for 20 minutes or more. In the rice cooker, the grain for sushi is prepared as follows: the necessary amount of rice is measured by a special measuring cup, which is included with any rice cooker. It is washed in the manner described above, then placed in a rice cooker, the water is poured to a mark corresponding to the amount of rice. If, after washing the rice, it was not kept in the water, then it should be put in this form for 20 minutes and then turn on the rice cooker.
Preparation of rice in a saucepan
In the absence of a rice cooker, rice can be prepared in the following ways:
- The recipe is the first. The washed rice should be put in a pan with a thick bottom. For every 200 grams of rice, 250 grams of water should be added. For flavor in the grain you need to put a square of algae, which is necessarily removed before the boiling water. Then it is better not to open the pan until the rice is ready. The pan should be sized so that it is filled with rice and water by a third. With the lid closed, the rice is brought to a boil over medium heat. Then the fire is removed to the minimum value, and in this mode the rice is cooked for 10-15 minutes. When the grain completely absorbs the water, the pan is removed from the plate and another 10-15 minutes the lid should remain in place;
- The second recipe. The washed grain is laid in a pan, the water is added in the ratio of 1 part of rice and 2 parts of water. All this is left for half an hour and only then put on a strong fire before boiling. Then, on minimum heat, cook for 10 minutes. The fire is removed, but the rice is left under the lid for another 20 minutes;
- The recipe is the third. Proportions, as in the second method, but the grain is poured into boiling water, covered with a lid. The fire is removed to a minimum and the product languishes until it completely absorbs the liquid;
- The recipe is the fourth. Rice is thoroughly washed and dried on a paper towel, then in equal quantity (1: 1) is poured cold water and left for 20 minutes. Then the pan covered with a lid is put on a slow fire, but just before boiling, the fire should be added to a slight boiling. Then the fire again decreases to a very weak one and in this form is left for 20 minutes until all the water has absorbed. Before switching off the fire, add 10 seconds and turn it off. On an open pan, put a paper towel and cover. After another 20 minutes, the rice will be ready for processing with acetic mixture.
Preparation of peeled rice
Also there is a recipe for cooking scaly rice with plum vinegar, for this you need:
- 700 g of peeled rice;
- 700 g of cold water;
- 1 teaspoon of salt;
- 70 g of plum vinegar;
- 3 tablespoons myrin.
Thoroughly washed and dried rice is placed insaucepan, water and salt. Further boiled as usual, slightly cooled and mixed with myrin and plum vinegar. Then the finished product settles for 15 minutes and is transferred to a large bowl, preferably if it is wooden. The rice is poured with acetic traditional mixture for sushi and quickly, but gently mixed with a flat wooden spatula, so that the rice is not crushed. If the mixture is evenly distributed over the rice, it is worth flapping the palm in order to cool the product faster. After that rice is ready for sushi.
The recipe for rice filling
Special refueling for rice, which is preparedfor sushi, is made from sugar, vinegar and salt. For 450 g of boiled rice, you need 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt and sugar. Salt and sugar are placed in rice vinegar, and all this is put on medium heat and mixed until completely dissolved. You can add vinegar and algae, if it was not added to the rice when it is cooked. Before adding to the finished product and dressing, and the rice itself slightly cool, but mixed in a hot form. According to Japanese traditions, the seasoned grain should be cooled with a fan, as it is believed that it gives rice a pearl luster. If the rice is prepared in advance, then the dressed should not be stored in the refrigerator. It should be placed in a large polyethylene bag and divided into several pieces that will not touch each other. One large clump of rice inside is oversaturated with moisture and will not be suitable for rolls. Keep the rice in this form you just need on the table or the windowsill in the cool season. And in this form it can be stored for two days. Before using it, small portions should be heated in a microwave oven. If you want to surprise guests, then if you want white polished rice can be prepared and painted in different colors to give the dish a festive look. For example, if instead of rice vinegar in the mixture use red plum vinegar, then rice is obtained with a gentle pink tinge. When added to the water with rice, before it is boiled, a teaspoon of turmeric rice will be bright yellow. And if in the finished rice to mix two tablespoons of seaweed, the rice will be gently green. If desired, in one preparation you can get rolls of different shades. But whatever color rolls you get, with proper observance of the technology of cooking rice, sauce and with quality seafood, they will not only look beautiful, but also have wonderful taste qualities.