The sushi lunch pack is now quite common, isn't it?
I think most of the people experienced having a pack of sushi once their life time? Do or did you like it? If you're a real sushi or Japanese food lover, I don't think you do try another one again. I had a some packs myself before, they were just OK. But I don't think they're not Japanese food. Actually the sushi packs from Waitrose are the best I had ever eaten.
Firstly, the packs are kept in the open fridge, we never put the cooked rice in the fridge. It's getting so dry. Dry cooked rice, NO WAY! You can freeze the cooked rice in a air tight container or freezer bag, though.
Secondly, the quality of the rice (because kept in the fridge for a long time?). And the toppings or the fillings are far from Japanese ingredients sometime, however, I don't mind using any ingredients for sushi. You can use anything, if you wish. That's not the problem at all.
So, the rice is very important part of the Japanese cuisine. You cannot replace another type of the rice. You have to use only Japonica rice. But if you cannot find a proper one, you can buy a Korean or Italian risotto rice. Do NOT use a pudding rice for the Japanese meal!
I think most of the people experienced having a pack of sushi once their life time? Do or did you like it? If you're a real sushi or Japanese food lover, I don't think you do try another one again. I had a some packs myself before, they were just OK. But I don't think they're not Japanese food. Actually the sushi packs from Waitrose are the best I had ever eaten.
Firstly, the packs are kept in the open fridge, we never put the cooked rice in the fridge. It's getting so dry. Dry cooked rice, NO WAY! You can freeze the cooked rice in a air tight container or freezer bag, though.
Secondly, the quality of the rice (because kept in the fridge for a long time?). And the toppings or the fillings are far from Japanese ingredients sometime, however, I don't mind using any ingredients for sushi. You can use anything, if you wish. That's not the problem at all.
「Ordinary Japanese rice, or uruchimai (粳米), is the type most commonly grown, and is the staple foodstuff of the Japanese diet. It consists of short translucent grains. When cooked it has a somewhat sticky texture such that it can easily be picked up and eaten with chopsticks. Outside of Japan it is sometimes labeled as sushi rice, as this is one of its common uses. It is also used to produce sake.」
from WikipediaSo, the rice is very important part of the Japanese cuisine. You cannot replace another type of the rice. You have to use only Japonica rice. But if you cannot find a proper one, you can buy a Korean or Italian risotto rice. Do NOT use a pudding rice for the Japanese meal!
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| Japonica (short) rice and long grain rice - Wiki |
How to cook the proper Japanese rice?
I usually cook my rice in the small pan (pic).
2 cups each time for the 2 night meal. Enough for 3 people. (My husband, daughter and me)
If you could buy the real Japanese rice from Japanese store. The rice imported from Japan, is very very expensive. Over £ 35.00 per 10Kg!! 1 cup of rice = 1 to 1.1 cup of water. No salt please. I usually buy a 10Kg of Italian made rice in a Chinese shop in Bristol at £ 18.00 -ish. I don't like the Californian rice, because they use too much pesticide in America, don't they? 1 cup of rice = 1.1 to 1.2 cup of water.
If you like soft rice, add a bit more water.
Rice the rice quite well before you cook. (See picture, the water is quite clear, isn't it?))
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the water absorbed.
Turn the switch off and give it a good light stir. Then leave the pan on the hob at least for 10 minutes. Steaming the rice is very important. Otherwise, your cooked rice is still hard inside.
If you have a Rice cooker, no problem at all, you just need to mesure the water properly or as you wish, basically it is the same as the cooking in a pan.
My other blogs in the Japanese language,
