Ingredients

• 500g uncooked short grain rice
• 625ml cold water
• 120ml sushi rice vinegar
  – 80g Mitoku Organic Brown Rice Vinegar
  – 40g Mitoku Organic Mikawa Mirin

Preparation Method

1. Place the uncooked rice in a large bowl and add some water. Swill the rice in the water, then drain through your palm.
2. Add more water, stir the rice, then drain. Repeat 3-5 times, until the water drains clear.
3. When draining for the final time, use a finely-meshed sieve. Leave the rice to drain for 30 mins, during which time it can absorb the moisture on the surface of the grains. Alternatively, leave the rice in a bowl of fresh water for 30 mins to absorb water.
4. Place the rice in a pan with 625ml water; the pan should have a tight-fitting lit. Bring to the boil over a medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins. Remove from the heat and rest for a further 10 mins. Keep the lid on during the entire process.
5. Use a spatula to remove the rice from the pan to move to a wide, shallow container. Spread the rice carefully and evenly across the bowl, without crushing the rice grains.
6. Mix together the brown rice vinegar and mirin in a pan then heat, stirring well. Remove from heat when the alcohol of mirin evaporates then leave it to cool. Pour the sushi vinegar evenly over the cooked rice, then use the spatula to gentle fold the vinegar into the rice, making sure not to mash or stir, as this will crush the grains.
7. While folding the vinegar through the rice, use a fan (a paper fan is ideal) to cool the rice as quickly as possible. The rice should be cool and evenly coated with vinegar after around 10 mins.

You should be left with rice that has a beautiful lustre, and does not stick together in lumps or clumps. It should ideally be used within an hour of preparation, and should never be refrigerated.