Troubleshooting Sushi Rice

Good sushi rice is the foundation of the sushi making process. So unlike less than perfect sushi rolls where mistakes are still tasty, trouble with rice interrupts the entire process. Like bread, sushi rice tends to be sensitive and moody due to varying local climates. Sometimes it may be necessary to add a little more water or just a little less based on the temperature. Try making small variations in the amount of water in the basic recipe to find what suits your local climate best. But if you're experiencing major rice issues, here's a few tips that might help.

My rice is too mushy:
-Too much water was used or the rice was covered before having a chance to cool long enough. If pressed for time, use a fan to help speed up the cooling process.
-The rice was allowed to steam too long in the rice pot.

My rice is undercooked:
-Cooking rice stove top can be tricky. If this was the case, try using a rice cooker.
-The rice was not steamed long enough.
-Not enough water was used.
-Spots of uncooked rice could mean that you have overloaded your rice cooker.

My rice is lumpy:
-Take the extra time to properly coat the rice with dressing while the rice is still hot.
-Make sure that you use enough of the vinegar dressing and be sure that the dressing is at room temperature.

My rice looks like coarse meal:
-Be extra careful when washing rice. Gently swishing should prevent rice grains from breaking during the crucial washing stage.
-Use higher quality rice. Sometimes, lower quality rice will yield broken rice bits rather than full grains.
-Be gentle during the marinating process. Be careful not to smash grains of rice with the wooden paddle.