Shari: Sushi Rice

Sushi in its modern form (edo-mae style) was developed in Edo (Tokyo) in the early 19th century as a fast food — hand-pressed rice with fresh fish on top, sold from street stalls. The rice vinegar seasoning that defines modern shari was an evolution from earlier fermented rice preparations. The precise balance of the shari is considered as important as the fish in Edo-mae style — a sushi master will spend years perfecting the rice before being considered qualified to handle the fish.

Sushi rice — shari — is freshly cooked Japanese short-grain rice seasoned with a specific rice vinegar mixture while still warm, then cooled to body temperature by fanning. It is not cold rice. It is not rice stored in vinegar. It is a precisely timed process that must be executed correctly or the sushi will fail regardless of the quality of the fish above it. The vinegar dressing changes the starch structure of the rice in ways that cold rice cannot replicate — it must be done while the rice's starch is still gelatinised and receptive.

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