Sushi Rice Made Without Sugar?

jrhartley
jrhartley Posts: 18 Member
in Recipes
I am about to make my own sushi for the first time and I really do not want to put sugar in the rice!

I am happy to put the rice wine vinegar in for a more authentic taste but I don't want to ruin a nice healthy sushi dinner with added sugar!

Does anyone have any tips? My mum made hers with just the rice wine vinegar and no sugar and it was a bit bland so i'm wondering if that is why they put sugar in traditionally?

I have googled the topic a bit but can't seem to find a definitive answer!

Thanks!

Replies

  • kmm0034
    kmm0034 Posts: 46 Member
    I have never ever made sushi with added sugar. It tastes just fine. If you wash the rice, and cook it right, even the rice vinegar isn't strictly necessary, except for the fact that's what makes it sushi and not just a ball of stuffed rice. My suggestion is focus your flavor in the filling. Don't worry about the rice. Just makes sure you wash it, and cook it correctly, and it will stick to itself, and everything else.
  • jrhartley
    jrhartley Posts: 18 Member
    Great! Just what I wanted to hear! Many thanks kmm0034!
  • khearron26
    khearron26 Posts: 171 Member
    If you're interested in a substitute, I recently made sushi using "riced" cauliflower instead of actual rice. I cut a head of cauliflower into medium florets, then put it in the blender and pulse several times until it looks like rice. Then I just sautee it a little in oil (olive, coconut, sesame, whichever) and add a bit of rice wine vinegar for a good sushi-rice effect. It rolled perfectly and was plenty sticky enough. You can even google cauliflower sushi rice for a few different recipes.

    This way, you can get another vegetable in and avoid the sugar at the same time!
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
    How much sugar are you adding??? A teaspoon in 4 cups of rice is fine.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    If you're interested in a substitute, I recently made sushi using "riced" cauliflower instead of actual rice. I cut a head of cauliflower into medium florets, then put it in the blender and pulse several times until it looks like rice. Then I just sautee it a little in oil (olive, coconut, sesame, whichever) and add a bit of rice wine vinegar for a good sushi-rice effect. It rolled perfectly and was plenty sticky enough. You can even google cauliflower sushi rice for a few different recipes.

    This way, you can get another vegetable in and avoid the sugar at the same time!

    :frown: :frown: :frown:

    It makes me sad you've done this to sushi.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    I am about to make my own sushi for the first time and I really do not want to put sugar in the rice!

    I am happy to put the rice wine vinegar in for a more authentic taste but I don't want to ruin a nice healthy sushi dinner with added sugar!

    Does anyone have any tips? My mum made hers with just the rice wine vinegar and no sugar and it was a bit bland so i'm wondering if that is why they put sugar in traditionally?

    I have googled the topic a bit but can't seem to find a definitive answer!

    Thanks!

    How would adding sugar ruin the healthiness of the meal?
  • jrhartley
    jrhartley Posts: 18 Member
    khearron26 - Thanks for the cauliflower tips! I have used cauliflower rice a lot in other dishes as I try to stick to primal type guidlines with my food.

    Acg67 - that's just my personal opinion. I am not anti sugar I just dont see why it needs it in this case.

    Thanks for all your replies.
  • caliv0608
    caliv0608 Posts: 18 Member
    I haven't made sushi rice with sugar before. I don't know if you're using brown rice or white, but I've only ever used white. Wash the rice thoroughly, add a tiny bit more water than you normally would and it will be sticky as heck.
  • surfinbird_1981
    surfinbird_1981 Posts: 946 Member
    I just use sushi seasoning which is predominantly vinegar.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    How much sugar are you adding??? A teaspoon in 4 cups of rice is fine.

    I agree with this. I make Alton Brown's sushi rice recipe but just cut back the sugar slightly. It is amazing!
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    Sushi rice is why the Japanese are all so obese . . .
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    If you're interested in a substitute, I recently made sushi using "riced" cauliflower instead of actual rice. I cut a head of cauliflower into medium florets, then put it in the blender and pulse several times until it looks like rice. Then I just sautee it a little in oil (olive, coconut, sesame, whichever) and add a bit of rice wine vinegar for a good sushi-rice effect. It rolled perfectly and was plenty sticky enough. You can even google cauliflower sushi rice for a few different recipes.

    This way, you can get another vegetable in and avoid the sugar at the same time!

    tumblr_lx5e2wcGVy1r9udrko1_400.gif

    kxX7wfR.gif

    Edited to add more gifs
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    I just use sushi seasoning which is predominantly vinegar.

    Sushi seasoning is vinegar, mirin, and sugar. It's just liquified to make it easier to add.

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