If you take away one thing from this article, let it be this: sushi rice is not just steamed rice with vinegar added. It is a carefully constructed balance of flavour, texture, and temperature that requires attention at every stage. Get the rice right and even modest fish will taste great on top of it. Get it wrong and the finest otoro in the world cannot save your sushi.

I have made sushi rice hundreds of times, and I still measure carefully, still watch the pot, still taste the seasoning before committing. It is that kind of dish — one that rewards precision and punishes complacency.

Choosing Your Rice

You need short-grain Japanese rice, specifically a variety bred for sushi. Koshihikari is the gold standard, and it is widely available in Asian grocery stores across Australia. Calrose is a more affordable alternative that works respectably well, though it lacks some of the sweetness and stickiness of true Japanese varieties.

Avoid long-grain rice, jasmine rice, basmati, or any rice marketed for pilaf or paella. These have a different starch composition and will never achieve the right texture for sushi.

Buy the freshest rice you can find. Check the milling date on the bag if it is listed. Rice that has been sitting on a shelf for a year will cook differently from rice milled recently — it absorbs more water and produces a drier, less cohesive result.

Washing

Washing the rice removes surface starch that would otherwise make the cooked rice gummy and sticky in the wrong way. This step is not optional.

Place the rice in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Swirl the rice gently with your hand, then drain. The water will be opaque and milky white. Repeat this process — fill, swirl, drain — until the water runs mostly clear. This usually takes five to seven washes.

Be gentle. You are not scrubbing the rice; you are rinsing it. Aggressive washing breaks the grains, which releases more starch and defeats the purpose.

After the final wash, let the rice sit in a fine-mesh strainer for 30 minutes to drain completely. This resting period allows the grains to absorb a small amount of moisture evenly, which promotes more uniform cooking.

Cooking

The traditional method uses a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid. The ratio is roughly equal parts rice and water by volume, though slight adjustments may be needed depending on the age of your rice and the specific variety.

For two cups of washed, drained rice, use two cups of water. Place in the pot, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time. After 15 minutes, remove from the heat and let it steam, still covered, for another 10 minutes.

A rice cooker simplifies this process and produces very consistent results. If you plan to make sushi regularly, a good rice cooker is a worthwhile investment. The Japanese brands — Zojirushi and Tiger — are the ones I trust.

The Seasoning (Sushi-zu)

While the rice cooks, prepare the seasoning. For two cups of dry rice, mix:

• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Warm the mixture gently — just enough to dissolve the sugar and salt. Do not boil it. Taste it. The balance should lean slightly tart and slightly sweet. Adjust to your preference, but resist the urge to add too much sugar — overly sweet shari is a common mistake.

Combining Rice and Seasoning

This is where many people go wrong. You need a hangiri (a flat-bottomed wooden tub) or, failing that, a wide, flat-bottomed wooden or glass bowl. Metal reacts with the vinegar and can impart off-flavours.

Turn the hot rice out into the hangiri. Drizzle the sushi-zu over the rice while it is still hot — the warmth helps the grains absorb the seasoning. Using a rice paddle or flat wooden spatula, fold the seasoning into the rice with a slicing, cutting motion. Do not stir in circles, which compresses the rice and makes it mushy.

While you fold, fan the rice. Traditionally, someone else fans while the chef folds, but you can manage alone by alternating between folding and fanning with a flat plate or actual fan. The fanning cools the rice quickly and gives the surface of each grain a slight sheen.

Continue folding and fanning until the rice reaches roughly body temperature — warm but not hot. Cover with a damp cloth and use within an hour. Sushi rice does not hold well. Refrigerating it ruins the texture. This is why sushi restaurants make rice throughout the day rather than preparing a large batch in the morning.

Troubleshooting

Rice is too sticky. You did not wash it enough, or you stirred rather than folded when adding the seasoning.

Rice is too dry. The rice may be old, or your water ratio was slightly off. Try adding a tablespoon more water next time.

Rice falls apart when shaping. The seasoning ratio may be off (too much vinegar breaks down the starches), or the rice was not warm enough when you added the sushi-zu.

Rice tastes bland. Increase the vinegar and salt slightly. The seasoning should be noticeable but not overwhelming.

The goal is rice that holds together when gently pressed but separates easily in the mouth. Each grain should be distinct but willing to cooperate with its neighbours. When you achieve that, everything you put on top of it will taste better.