Perhaps you’ve heard the term “sushi rice”. You’ve definitely seen it before if you’ve ever been to our Bothell Japanese restaurant, as it’s an important part of any piece of sushi. But what is sushi rice, exactly?
Sushi-style rice is a mixture of rice and vinegar. This is a big part of the distinct flavor and consistency that goes into sushi. Technically, it’s this rice that determines whether or not something qualifies as “sushi”, since the word is an archaic Japanese term that translates literally to “vinegar rice. This is why dishes like inari and kappamaki qualify as sushi even though they don’t have fish, and why sashimi, which does not come with rice, is not counted as sushi.