Sushi is Japanese for vinegar seasoned rice. It just so happens that it tastes best with raw and/or cooked fish. It's made in different forms with a variety of ingredients. Depending on the meats and vegetables used, sushi can be used as the main dish or as the starchy staple food. When used as main dish, a variety of sushi with fish, egg, and shrimp toppings are arranged attractively on a plate with slices of ginger in the center and served with a little dish of shoyu. A sample menu for a meal of sushi may be: Soup, tray of sushi, okoko (pickled vegetables), tea, and fruit or senbei may be served for dessert. The important part of sushi is the rice. It must be cooked properly and seasoned well so that each grain will be separate and shiny.
Sushi Rice
Wash rice and add water with konbu in a thick pot. Boil vigorously for about 10 minutes, then cook for about 10 minutes at medium heat, and then lower heat and steam for about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and leave for about 10 minutes more or use automatic rice cooker.
Vinegar Sauce - Mix together
When rice is ready, transfer rice into a large shallow rice container, preferably wooden. While still hot, add vinegar sauce; pour over top and leave for a moment and then mix lightly and fan to cool. This method gives the gloss to the rice and the vinegar flavor will penetrate the rice.
5 c. rice
5 ½ c. water
5x1 inch konbu (dried seaweed kelp)
1½ c. vinegar
1 ½-2 Tbsp salt (more or less according to taste)
2 ½ Tbsp sugar (more or less according to taste)
½ tsp Ajinomoto (monosodium glutamate, optional)
