The 2 Essential Tools For Making Sushi At Home

The proliferation of sushi across the world has spawned plenty of modern hacks, tricks, and substitutions, but some essential tools just can't be replaced. We turned to George Ruan, executive chef of Jōji NY, to learn which two sushi tools he would never skip out on. His answers: a sharp knife and a rice cooker.

Sushi making relies more on a chef's ability to use a few high-quality (but simple) tools, rather than an array of fancy gadgets. You may be able to make sushi without a bamboo mat, but Ruan's top two tools have no substitutes. A sharp knife maintains the integrity of delicate ingredients like nori, seafood, and matchstick-cut vegetables, making it indispensable. A dull knife can crack your sheets of seaweed, cut uneven pieces of ingredients, and even smash your rolls apart.

Rice cookers, meanwhile, cook with a level of precision that's impossible to imitate on the stove. Maintaining the rice's moisture level without undercooking it makes your sushi easier to roll and better-tasting, so a pot or microwave simply won't cut it. Since sushi is a simple dish that relies on quality ingredients and techniques, foregoing the right tools puts you at risk of substandard maki or nigiri that may fall apart before you can enjoy them.

You don't need to drop hundreds of dollars on either a sushi knife or a rice cooker, but quality is still important. So long as your knife is sharp and your cooker is reliable, you can easily make maki at home with a little bit of knowledge and practice.

A yanagiba is a traditional sushi knife. The long, flat edge is ideal for cutting razor-thin veggies and extra smooth maki in a single stroke. However, that doesn't mean the chef's knife in your kitchen will ruin the hard work you spent rolling. Provided you slice using the full length of the blade, any large knife is suitable for a homemade sushi dinner. You should only apply a light amount of pressure to slice a roll, and try dipping your knife in water between slices. This prevents the rice from sticking to the flat side of your blade and ruining the presentation of your maki.

To make sushi rice at home, use a 1:1 ratio of rice to water. Washing the rice, then soaking it in water for 20 to 30 minutes beforehand, ensures it has the right texture once it's cooked and seasoned. Vinegar — an essential addition — not only provides extra flavor, but also moisture, so don't worry if your rice looks a tad dry fresh out of the cooker. The amount of vinegar you use depends on how strong you want the taste to be, but three to four tablespoons for every 1½ cups of uncooked rice is a good starting point.