Originally Posted by MG1
(Post 8856026)
Btw, guys, I know how to cook rice. I used to be sushi chef in my younger days. Futomaki is my specialty. I learned from Japanese chefs that were sponsored by my old boss.
When I make the rice, it is soaked in water with dashi konbu overnight and cooked with the konbu. Once cooked, I transfer the rice from the pot to a shallow container using a method that ensures no damage to the grains of rice. I then fluff the rice properly and flavour it with mirin, sushi su (vinegar) made from scratch, sugar, salt, and dashi. While the su is being added, the rice is fanned to ensure proper cooling and texture - brings out a shine to each grain of rice. The Gu (inside ingredients) takes two to three days to prepare. Everything is made from scratch. The tamago I make myself using a special square pan. The oboro I use is real fish flakes. Kampyo (gourd strips) is also cooked from scratch - scrubbed with salt, etc. Shiitake, unagi (eel) all made from scratch. I make ten rolls once a year (New Years) sometimes twenty, if I have help. I only make the sushi for family and very close friends, as it is really time consuming. Especially, when you want it done right. No restaurant can survive if they put that much effort and detail into making a futomaki. Everything nowadays is ready made. Everything I mentioned above can now be purchased in large quantities. Even the tamago (frozen). The shiitake comes in vacuum sealed bags cooked and sliced up. Same as the kampyo. All have that chemical taste, but nobody cares, as customers have no idea. Hell, average customer wouldn't know the difference between the types of rice (short, medium, long grain), let alone the quality (Shinmai vs komai, where it was grown and in what conditions, etc.).
Yeah.......... too much information. Don't get me going on manjyu making. I used to do that, too.
So, when I make rice, I have to do it right, which takes time. Because so many people think hey, it only takes 20 to 30 minutes, I thought I'd explain why I don't "just cook" rice. Having said that. If it is made by someone else or purchased dried/frozen, I have no expectations. The times I feel like having a bowl or two of "rice" to go with some takuwan, kinzanji miso, fukujinzuke, furikake, salted fish, Spam, etc............. nuff said.
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