Sushi Tip On The Rice

Sushi Chef Scottee Nakamura Lahaina Maui. See him at Kobe's Steak House

Learning about sushi making, and what it takes to be a master sushi chef, it takes great hand and eye coordination, you have to have that feel for what you are touching. I watch how the pros do it, and let me tell you, I am not a sushi maker. Oh yeah, I can do it, I know I can, but to roll like my friend Sushi Chef Scotte Nakamura who's a veteran at rolling, it's like me playng one on one hoops down at the park against Derek Rose. NO CONTEST!

Despite me being a lame ass sushi roller, I do know one thing that you need, and that is the perfectly made rice. The kind of rice you really want is the white short grain, as opposed to the white medium or long grain, why? Short grain fits better in a roll especially the inside out kind.

Purchase a rice cooker, that's the best way to cook it, it's automatic and you won't need to mess with timing it, just click the on button and you're good to runaway! 1 1/2 cups of rice after it cooks yields about 3 cups, so it doubles in volume.

1. Measure your rice.
2. Put it into a bowl type strainer, and place the rice and strainer under cold running water, rinse it for a few minutes to remove all the cloudy powder stuff.
3. Place the cleaned rice into the rice cooker cylinder or bowl, and add about 3 cups of water.
4. Turn on the cooker, and when done, let it sit and rest and cool before rolling.

* Some sushi chefs don't even season the rice. Some do. So what's the seasoning for the rice?

Here is what one sushi afficionado does.
He puts a pot on the stove over medium high heat.
Then adds about 2 cups of filtered water.
And then adds about 1/4 cup of sugar
And adds about 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar, but he says you can adjust the seasonings however you want it.
Boil it together until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally, and when it's done let it cool, and then place the rice in a wooden or bamboo rice bowl, and pour the liquid inside and toss it around with the rice, it will give it a somewhat sweet and sour kind of tangy if you will taste. Now when you're done, you're ready to roll whatever it is you want.

If you do come to Maui, stop by Kobe Steak House and check on my friend Sushi Chef Scottee Nakamura, who will be in my cookbook out soon.

Below is some grade A, Ahi tuna chunk great for searing or cut into pieces for sashimi or sushi, or cubed for Hawaiian style Poke (Poh keh).