Kids Web Japan

Ingredients

vinegar	1/2 cup
sugar	2 tablespoons
salt	1 teaspoon
rice (see "Rice and Miso Soup")	2 cups

Dissolve sugar and salt in vinegar and store in a glass container. Cook rice, using equal amounts of rice and water (a little less water than normal to make the rice harder). After the rice is fully cooked, let stand for about 10 minutes.

Empty rice into a large, flat container and sprinkle about half the vinegar dressing. Mix the rice and vinegar with cutting strokes, fanning the rice at the same time to cool quickly. Taste the rice, adding more vinegar to enhance sharpness (the vinegar dressing should be enough for 3 to 4 cups of rice).

Notes

1. Most sushi restaurants in Tokyo don't use sugar in the vinegar dressing to bring out the freshness of the raw fish. A slightly milder mixture, though, goes better with sushi prepared at home. In the Kansai region around Osaka and Kyoto, more sugar and salt are used. Use the blend that's just right for you!
2. Sushi tastes best when you use Japonica-type medium-grain rice and vinegar made from rice or other grains grown in Japan.