Trying to make sushi

singmyheartout4you
singmyheartout4you Posts: 245
in Recipes
Hey everyone!
So Ive been working on making sushi for a while now and I never can get it quiet right. Ive figured out the problem is the problem is the nori. Whenever I order it at restaurantds I barely notice it, but when i make it, its always super chewy and gross. Am I doing something wrong? Help is greatly appreciated :D

Replies

  • TiaFerrera
    TiaFerrera Posts: 93
    What kind of rice are you using?
  • Amy_Andrews
    Amy_Andrews Posts: 106
    Are you toasting the nori?
  • HiKaren
    HiKaren Posts: 1,306 Member
    Are you making "Proper Sushi Rice" ??

    One class I did take. "Sushi For Beginners" Yes, I'm a certified begining sushi chef... As of like yeaaaars ago..

    Heres the recipe I found online. Copied and pasted :

    Here is a recipe for making sushi rice. Japanese rice is short grain rice and gets slightly sticky when it is cooked. Long grain rice isn't proper for sushi because it is drier and doesn't stick together.
    Ingredients:
    •3 cups Japanese rice
    •3 1/4 cups water
    •1/3 cup rice vinegar
    •3 Tbsp sugar
    •1 tsp salt
    Preparation:
    Put the rice in a large bowl and wash it with cold water. Repeat washing until the water becomes almost clear. Drain the rice in a colander and set aside for 30 minutes. Place the rice in rice cooker and add water. Let the rice soak in the water at least 30 minutes. Start the cooker. When rice is cooked, let it steam for about 15 minutes.
    Prepare sushi vinegar (sushi-zu) by mixing rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a sauce pan. Put the pan on low heat and heat until the sugar dissolves. Cool the vinegar mixture.

    Spread the hot steamed rice into a large plate or a large bowl. Please use a non-metallic bowl to prevent any interaction with rice vinegar. It's best to use a wooden bowl called sushi-oke. Sprinkle the vinegar mixture over the rice and fold the rice by shamoji (rice spatula) quickly. Be careful not to smash the rice. To cool and remove the moisture of the rice well, use a fan as you mix sushi rice. This will give sushi rice a shiny look. It's best to use sushi rice right away.

    Makes 4-6 servings.

    Don't forget to Fan the rice as it cools
  • TiaFerrera
    TiaFerrera Posts: 93
    Some rice needs rinsing or it's too starchy and sticky. I use calrose rice and it's usually pretty good without the rinse.
  • kwogni
    kwogni Posts: 18
    The moisture from the hot rice is making the nori soft and chewy. As one of the posts says, try toasting it a bit first. alternately, wait for the rice to cool down to room temperature.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    are you getting the special rice for sushi? i've made it a few times and never had any problems. also i got something for it where it's like a bamboo mat that you roll it in, cover that with saran wrap and it helps.

    or make a sushi bowl, same taste but way easier
    you can use regular rice, and add in whatever you make in your sushi. i do avocado, asparagus and carrot and edamame, sometimes cream cheese. you can put salmon, crab, etc
    mix it in a bowl, crumble nori sheets and serve with soy sauce, wasabi and ginger. mmmm
  • singmyheartout4you
    singmyheartout4you Posts: 245
    Thank you all!!
    Ive been using sushi rice, but I havent been waiting for it to cool nor have I been toasting the nori so Ill try that :) thanks!!
  • lizalouise
    lizalouise Posts: 7 Member
    It's important to cool the rice quickly with a fan as you season it with the vinegar. A lit of people also don't realise there's Japanese mayo in sushi which changes the taste.
  • spaghetti93
    spaghetti93 Posts: 140 Member
    i noticed this when i made sushi too and i thought it was because i used the full sheet instead of cutting it in half like restaurants usually do.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Thank you all!!
    Ive been using sushi rice, but I havent been waiting for it to cool nor have I been toasting the nori so Ill try that :) thanks!!

    Make sure you are using the salt, sugar, rice vinegar, etc. let it cool or almost completely cool. Comes out perfect every time even when I don't toast the nori :)


    Oh yeah, you could also try making them inside out (I always do mine this way ). Add the rice to the nori, flip it over (it will stick trust me) fill it in the middle, then roll roll roll :)

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