Rice Vinegar and Sushi Vinegar in Japanese Ingredients

‌Rice vinegar‌: It is a general-purpose vinegar with a smooth taste and lighter color, suitable for general seasoning. It can be ‌rice vinegar‌, ‌grain vinegar‌, etc. Grain vinegar is generally brewed from a mixture of rice and barley. It is the most common type of vinegar in Japan and has a wide range of applications. The acidity of rice vinegar is lower than that of ordinary vinegar, with only 4~5% acidity, which makes it taste milder and suitable for a variety of cooking methods such as stir-frying and dipping.

Sushi vinegar is a vinegar specially used for making sushi. The recipe of sushi vinegar usually includes white vinegar, sugar, salt, etc. The sour taste in sushi comes from it. The reason why sushi is put in vinegar is to make the rice softer and more sticky, so that it can be better shaped when wrapped in bamboo. When making sushi, you need to mix sushi vinegar in the rice. The rice board will reduce the stickiness due to the effect of sushi vinegar, making the rice looser and non-sticky. At the same time, it can also make the rice easier to form a ball. The finished sushi is not easy to loosen when picked up with chopsticks. When you eat it in your mouth, each grain is distinct, which highlights the taste of the rice. Sushi vinegar mixed in rice will increase the sourness of the rice, make the rice more delicious, and make the sushi sweet.