Instant pot Sushi rice

This Instant Pot sushi rice is a contemporary version of a classic sushi rice recipe. The recipe is bundled into a much simpler form than you can ever imagine.

If you love sushi and never want to try it because of its delicate cooking process, here you go. This post is built especially for you. Learn how to cook sushi rice with easy tips and techniques. This is one of the few fun recipes you can quickly remember, and there is no need to refer to the online sources when you make the next time.

The method we discuss in this post preserves the overall quality of this Instant Pot sushi rice and is easy to work with when making sushi rolls or sushi bowls. Turn your regular dinner into a fabulous Japanese dinner effortlessly.

The story of sushi and me never ends; I cannot accurately say when the affection started towards it. But it has been years, and I'm getting old, too. But the love for my sushi is stable and sturdy.

But sadly, we do not have many Japanese restaurants in Central Pennsylvania. Within a few available options, we explore new dishes every time we go. And the sushi costs heavily, another factor that stops us from visiting these authentic food stores.

So, to satisfy all my sushi cravings, I have to make my own. Recreating the food I loved in the restaurants at home gives me immense pleasure that I have made the best food at a comparatively lesser cost.

Since our regular grocery stores in Pennsylvania carry Japan's authentic ingredients, I do not have any problem locating the elements and the tools.

Check your grocery store's international aisle for the ingredients and the equipment. If not, get it from the online stores, where the choices are plenty at a reasonable cost.

Other Asian-style recipes,

• Spicy Ramen noodles
• Spicy Szechuan noodles
• Garlic chicken recipe
• Asian cabbage salad
• Spicy Thai noodles
• Spicy edamame
• Perfect sushi rice

Making sushi rice at home was complex, as plenty of instructions were available. For me, few worked out, and the rest left me embarrassed with the burnt bottom of soggy rice. The few that worked out for me come with a long-standing time in the kitchen, which I hate.

So, for your convenience, I have tried to combine all the steps as I told you earlier; a couple of Instant Pot settings do wonders. It is hard to believe that it takes only 4 minutes to cook sushi rice in an Instant Pot. But it's true: soft, sticky rice is prepared without mess or fuss while cooking.

What is Sushi rice?

Sushi rice refers to Japanese short-grain rice, which is sticky and used to make sushi rolls.

Sushi is a Japanese dish made with vinegared rice, salt, and sugar and accompanied by other vegetables, meat, or seafood—one of the famous international foods in the United States. You could hit at least a store in the mall's food courts. Sushi rolls are suitable for serving as an appetizer or a main meal. The restaurant here in our place used to do this as an appetizer before our main meal.

How to make Instant Pot sushi rice?

The instant pot is a boon to modern living and essential for a busy mom. Coming to the sushi rice, Instant Pot provides an excellent result that we fell in love with. I have made it with a stovetop and pressure cooker option. But I felt this is more reliable and perfect every time we drive.

The cooked rice in an Instant Pot is soft, moist, sticky, and holds a great shape after rolling.

The ingredients.

Rice. Japanese short-grain rice is the perfect variety for this recipe. However, in the US, we get products labeled as Sushi rice. So there is no difficulty in locating them. I got a 4-pound bag in Walmart. That's sufficient for my occasional uses. I adore white rice for sushi, and we mention its best cooking preference.

I have not yet tried brown sushi rice, but once I try, I come up with sharing my story. However, you have something we are glad to hear that too.

Rice vinegar. Another essential ingredient that brings all the authentic flavors of Japan. Sometimes, my readers say they have substituted rice vinegar for white vinegar. But both taste different, and white vinegar is not a substitution for rice vinegar.

If you are in the United States, you will not have a problem finding these ingredients in grocery stores; otherwise, get them online. It is a worthy investment if you are reading this far(which shows your love for Japanese food).

Water. So, what's the sushi rice water ratio? For Instant Pot, one portion of rice for one part of water. The pressure does the remaining work. Do you think it's a little water? Yes, of course. But with the 1:1 ratio of water and sushi rice, the rice cooked well by retaining its sticky properties.

Salt. One teaspoon of salt is perfect for 2 cups of rice. But taste before closing the lid; add when you prefer more.

Sugar. Which neutralizes the rice and salt. It plays exceptionally well when combined with other topping ingredients. This is an enhancer; skip if you do not want to.

The recipe directions

I am prepping the rice. Wash and rinse the sushi rice multiple times until clear water is seen. This is a process to discard excess starch. Use a colander for easy use. I used to rinse it five times.

Combine the ingredients. Combine water, rice, rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. Stir until all the elements merge well. Test for salt, and add if you like.

Set the Instant Pot. Close the lid. And set the Instant Pot manually for 4 minutes. Close the vent to the 'Seal' position.

Resting time. Once the cooking cycle is over, wait for 10 minutes to release the pressure naturally. This ten-minute is precise; you can have your external alarm for this 10 minutes.

Quick Release the pressure. Once 10 minutes of resting time is over. Quick-release the remaining pressure by turning the seal to the 'vent' position(This time, the pressure will not be much, as it has released 90% of it naturally).

Open. Once all the pressure is released, carefully open the lid. (The top might have collected some condensed water; make sure it does not fall back into the pot).

Cool it down. Take a large tray. Transfer the cooked sushi rice to a single layer. Allow it to come to room temperature for about 10-20 minutes.

Ready. Then, start making your favorite sushi rolls, bowls, or fried rice.

Storing and Reheating Ideas Instant pot sushi rice

For a shorter time. If you have transferred the rice to the tray for cooling and are thinking of processing it later, cover it with aluminum foil or cling paper to retain its moist level.

For a long time. Always choose the airtight container for the best results.

This Japanese sushi rice is best used fresh. However, it stays suitable for 2-3 days when refrigerated.

Bring down to room temperature to reheat. Sprinkle water and mix gently to moisten the rice evenly.

Then microwave for 1 minute, incrementing it by every 30 seconds until the rice becomes hot.

Freezing the sushi rice is not working well, as it dries out the rice and removes the stickiness.

The recipe FAQ

Why do I need to rinse the rice? The sushi rice is starch-rich. Rinsing them multiple times removes the excess starch and makes it suitable for making the rolls. Generally, washing up to five times is advisable.

Why should I quickly Release the pressure after 10 minutes of wait time? Well, I know why this question arises. After 10 minutes, the pressure is not much. Still, we should quickly Release and open the lid to avoid further sushi rice cooking. And thereby avoiding mushy rice.

Why freezing is not good? Freezing dries out the rice, making it hard to roll. Moreover, frozen rice is not as soft and sticky as it used to be, even after reheating.

Can I use the same recipe for the Pressure cooker as well? Yes, the exact instructions are also set for the pressure cooker method. For the pressure cooker method, cook for 4 minutes on a high flame and switch off the heat. Wait for 10 minutes to cook the rice well with the pressure inside. Then, release the tension manually. And Japanese sushi rice is ready.

Other easy recipes you may like,

• Cajun scrambled eggs
• Instant pot boiled peanuts
• Instant pot penne pasta

Printable recipe card