Rice, or goshan, is the quintessential Japanese food and is served at almost every meal, including breakfast. The staple was considered such an important commodity that samurai warriors were paid in rice. Good sushi depends on perfectly cooked rice, just as it depends on well-sliced fish. Rice that is undercooked cannot be spread very easily on the bamboo pad (the nori). Rice that is overcooked it is too mushy to keep its shape and creates a messy roll. If you want to ensure that your sushi rice is perfectly done every time, you might want to invest in a rice cooker, which is used in almost every Japanese home. The directions for making rice are included with your machine.
When making rice for sushi, make sure you use the Japanese short-grained sushi rice that is sticky in texture when finished. While experimenting with varieties of fish is encouraged, this should be the only rice you use for sushi.
If you prefer to cook the rice by hand, rinse it several times until the water no longer has a milky appearance. A good rule of thumb is to use one part rice and three parts water. Put the rice and the water in a pan and cover it until it reaches a boil. Lower the flame and cook it on low heat for about 10-15 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid frequently. After the liquid is cooked out, but it is not dry, take it off the fire and let it stand covered for another ten minutes. Meanwhile, you need to prepare the sauce for the rice. For every cup of rice, you will need 1/8 cup Japanese rice vinegar (again, do not substitute this vinegar for another variety), 1 tb sugar, and 1 tsp salt. When the rice is cooled, mix this sauce into the rice. Now you are ready to make your sushi.
Basic Nigrisushi
The best sushi for a beginner to attempt is nigrisushi, which means "made in the hand". First, moisten your hands and form a little ball of rice in your palms. The fish should already be sliced into small pieces no thicker than 1/8 of an inch. Put a tiny smear of wasabi (green Japanese horseradish paste) one side of the fish (make sure it is not more than a smear—wasabi is very strong). Take the rice ball and press the fish, wasabi side down, onto the rice, curving the fish around the rice. Flatten the fish and the rice together gently.