Authentic Sushi Rice

Start by placing the uncooked rice into a large, deep bowl and filling it with cold water. Use your hands to gently mix the rice and water together until the water becomes cloudy and milky white. Carefully pour off this cloudy water, making sure not to lose any of the rice in the process. Repeat this step 3-4 times until you can see the rice clearly through about 3 inches of water.

Next, transfer the rice to a fine-mesh strainer and drain it thoroughly. Then, combine the cooked rice with the dried kelp (konbu) and 3 cups of water in a saucepan. Let it sit for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

While the rice is standing, prepare a small bowl by mixing together equal parts of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until they dissolve completely. Set this mixture aside for now.

Once the rice has finished steeping, cover it and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

After the rice has finished cooking, remove it from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes to allow any remaining steam to escape.

Now, use a fork or your hands to gently scrape the cooked rice into a separate bowl. Discard the dried kelp (konbu) that was added to the rice during cooking.

In this bowl, combine the vinegar mixture you prepared earlier and stir it in until the rice is well-coated and there are no lumps remaining. Let the rice cool to room temperature, either by leaving it out or using an electric fan to speed up the cooling process.