Japanese Rice: Food for Thought in Seattle

The Basics of Japanese Rice

Rice is a staple food for half the world’s population, widely consumed and, in many cultures, a way of life. Some of the best known classic dishes are made with rice. Think of the Asian stir-fried recipe, the Spanish paella, the Italian risotto, and of course, the Japanese sushi. There are also some size varieties that cook differently as well. Popular in Indian and Thai cuisine are the long-grain varieties, which by simply as combining rice with double the amount of water and boiling it until tender. Other varieties take longer to cook or require less water, such as risotto, a medium grain rice. Sushi rice is a good example of short-grain rice, which is better steamed.

Sticky, short-grained rice is the staple food in Japan. You think of the rice paddies in the outskirts where rice is cultivated that have built strong cooperation among the villagers and have shaped Japanese culture.

There are thousands of rice varieties grown in Japan, with Koshihikari and Akita Komachi being among the most popular. Rice that is uncooked is called kome. Japan’s staple food is used to make
mochi or rice cakes, senbei or rice crackers, and sake or rice wine. Rice can also be cooked with, seafood and vegetables, called Takikomi gohan, and red beans, sekihan, kayu, which is porridge seasoned with salt. It is also a popular cold remedy. The Onigiri are rice balls with seafood or vegetables in the middle, usually wrapped in dried seaweed.

And do you know that the Japanese bran rice, however also as food, is part of the Japanese woman’s beauty regimen? It is prized for its skin rejuvenating benefits, containing moisturizers, anti-oxidants and enzymes for smooth, wrinkle-free skin.

Japanese Rice in your Sushi at Seattle

Choose any from our wide selections of classics for your share of delicious Japanese rice. Drop by our Seattle sushi restaurant on Lake Union for your favorite sushi today.