Sushi vinegar, made from rice vinegar, salt, sugar or sweet rice wine, and sometimes kelp and sake, is an essential ingredient in making sushi rice. It is simmered, reduced, and cooled before being mixed with cooked white rice.
Also called sushi-zu, sushi vinegar is a type of vinegar used to make sushi rice. Created by combining one or more rice-based liquids with other seasonings, sushi vinegar is often made from scratch by both professional and amateur sushi chefs. Also available pre-made in specialty stores or online, sushi-zu is an essential ingredient in any type of sushi.
The main ingredient in sushi vinegar is rice vinegar. Although sweet cider vinegar can be used as a substitute, white vinegar is not recommended because it is too strong and will overpower the other flavors of sushi. Rice vinegar has a more subtle flavor that allows the rice to be seasoned without dominating the taste of the sushi dish in which the rice is used.
Salt, plain table salt or sea salt, is always included in sushi vinegar. Sugar is often added to sweeten the liquid, but most authentic vinegars use a sweet rice wine, such as mirin, as the sweetening agent. If sugar is added, it should be used sparingly as the finished sushi-zu should not taste like sugar. Sake, another type of rice wine, is also often included. Kelp could also be added for other flavorings.
If kelp is included, it is slow cooked in rice vinegar before being removed. Then, the other ingredients are added. When the kelp is not being used, all the ingredients are mixed together and heated. The mixture is then simmered while being stirred frequently, but not allowed to boil.
While simmering, the mixture is reduced, allowing any alcohol to evaporate. Therefore, the finished sushi vinegar should have no alcohol content. Once reduced, the sushi-zu is removed from the heat and allowed to cool. Like all vinegars, sushi vinegar tends to taste best when allowed to sit a few days before using. When the vinegar is ready to use, it is combined with cooked white rice to make sushi rice.
To create sushi rice, sushi vinegar is sprinkled over cooked rice while the rice is still hot. Then, it is mixed into the rice in a process of bunching the rice and spreading it again several times, which helps to keep the rice from being mashed while mixing. Usually this is done while the rice is being fanned to ensure quick evaporation, which prevents soggy rice. The sushi rice is then used to make sushi rolls or bowls.
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