So you want to start making sushi at home but you don't really know where to start. Well, getting these pantry ingredients is probably a good place. In addition to the basic everyday pantry ingredients (salt, sugar, flour, etc.), a sushi pantry will need some traditional Japanese ingredients that you might or might not be too familiar with. In this post I go over each item and also include my recommendations on which type to get. Some are absolutely required while others come down to preference.
If you're looking for a full list with links to where you can buy all these ingredients, check out www.UltimateSushiKit.com. I have all my ingredients recommendations as well as sushi supplies and tools.
Rice
Rice is the most important ingredient when it comes to sushi, because without it, it’s not sushi! But to make good sushi, you must have good (correct) rice. Now I understand picking the right rice can be a bit overwhelming, especially when you consider there are more than 120,000 varieties of rice in the world and on top of that numerous brands out there. But I’ll keep it very simple, just stick to Japanese short- or medium-grain rice and you should be fine, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be grown in Japan.
There are several high-quality Japanese rice brands that are grown in California both short and medium grain. Both have a natural stickiness that makes it perfect for sushi, but short grain does result in a better texture and consistency. Avoid using any long-grain rice such as basmati or jasmine. These types of rice will be too dry and won’t be sticky enough for sushi.
Rice Vinegar
Rice vinegar is used to make sushi vinegar. It’s also used to make what’s called “tezu” or “temizu” which is a mixture of water and rice vinegar used to dampen our hands while we make sushi. It’s not a necessity but it helps keep the flavor of the sushi more consistent.
If you would like to keep things simple, you can purchase seasoned rice/sushi vinegar that is ready to use. However, making your own sushi vinegar is easy! I teach you how to make this on "The PERFECT Sushi Rice" guide here. If you decide to make your own, make sure you purchase unseasoned rice vinegar. Some well-known brands in the United States are Marukan, Kikkoman, and Mizkan. All are good options.
Nori (Dried Seaweed)
Nori is an item that can be much more complicated to pick out than it should be. There is an abundance of different options and there is no standard industry grading, making it hard to figure out which one is best for sushi. It may take a bit of trial and error but the following tips should help you pick out a decent one.
The different grades for sushi nori can be confusing since different brands have their own grading levels. You should typically see either a color or alphabet grading system. The alphabet grading is straightforward, “A” being the best, “B” second, and so forth till usually “D.” The color system is a bit more complex, as different brands have their own system, but typically it’s ranked in this order: Gold, Silver (or blue), Green (or yellow), and then Red. Pay attention to the packaging color, which usually will correspond with the grade level. You can also compare it by price, as long as it’s the same brand.
If you're able to see through/inside the package, some simple ways to tell if sushi nori is of good quality are by the actual color of the nori, thickness, and sheen. The higher the grade, the darker the color (closer to black), while lower grades will be green or light green. This goes hand in hand with the thickness as well. Lower grades will be light and almost translucent while higher grades will be dense and solid. Higher quality nori will also have a sheen to it, making it look shiny. Since lower-grade nori tends to be thin, it tears easily when making sushi. Stick to the higher-grade Blue/Silver and above to avoid the headache.
Most sushi nori comes in either full or half sheets. Full sheets are right around 8" × 7" and the half sheets are the same but just precut in half. Half sheets are what’s used for the majority of sushi rolls so I usually recommend those, but you can always cut them yourself if you can only find the full sheets.
Shoyu (Soy Sauce)
Shoyu or soy sauce to sushi, is like butter to bread. It just goes together. Feel free to use your favorite brand. Keep in mind, using too much soy sauce tends to overpower the sushi flavor itself.
Personally, I recommend making what’s called “nikiri” or “nikiri shoyu.” You might have seen sushi chefs brush it on top of a freshly made nigiri if you’ve sat at the sushi bar (typically at higher-end restaurants). Basically, it’s a mixture of soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine), dashi, and sake (rice wine). The flavor is sweeter and has more depth than soy sauce on its own. It also has a thicker consistency. A little can go a long way; brushing a little on top of the sushi is perfect. Learn how to make nikiri shoyu here.
Wasabi
Most people know wasabi as the spicy green paste that automatically comes with sushi, and eating too much of it will clear your sinuses better than most cold medicines. But what is wasabi exactly? Wasabi is a root (rhizome, to be exact) that is notoriously difficult to grow. It needs to be in the perfect climate and takes years to grow to full size, which makes it very limited and very expensive. For that reason, most of the wasabi that we see at restaurants (even in Japan) is not real “hon” wasabi. So, what are we all eating? It’s a mixture of horseradish, mustard, and green food coloring.
If you’re an avid sushi lover and have an opportunity to try real “hon” wasabi, I highly recommend you try it at least once. But fair warning, you might not want to go back to the imitation stuff ever again!
Real wasabi is a lot milder than its imitation version. The texture is a bit gritty (little, tiny chunks left from grating) and it has a subtle sweetness with fresh green and herb aromas. There’s really nothing like it, especially when it’s freshly grated and served with the perfect bite of sashimi or nigiri.
That said, there’s nothing wrong with imitation wasabi, and the store-bought ones work just fine. The ones in the tube are more convenient. Wasabi powder is also available and has a longer shelf life versus the tube.
If you want to get adventurous, kizami wasabi (chopped wasabi) is another form of wasabi that goes very well with sushi and is one of my personal favorites. It’s made from the stems of real “hon” wasabi, which is chopped up and marinated in soy sauce. It has a slight crunchy texture and perfect amount of spiciness. It typically comes in small packs either refrigerated or frozen. Kinjirushi is a good brand.
Gari (Pickled Ginger)
Alongside the wasabi is usually a small mound of pickled ginger or “gari.” It is used to cleanse the palate between different types of sushi so that you can enjoy each piece to its fullest flavor. The slight sweetness and spiciness of gari “cuts” the richness of the fish and eliminates any leftover taste. Think of it as a reset for your tongue. Ginger also has bacteria-fighting components and is said to help with stomach pains.
Pickled ginger should be easy to find at your local grocery store or Asian markets. If you plan on making sushi vinegar, you can use this to pickle your own ginger. Check out the sushi vinegar recipe here.
Mirin (Japanese Sweet Rice Wine)
Mirin is a staple in Japanese cooking and yes it does contain alcohol. But before you start hiding it from your teenage child, know that the ones we see at the store is typically a modified version of it and usually only has about 1% ABV. Hon-mirin is considered the "true" mirin and those will usually have about 14% alcohol, similar to wine. Now if you can find hon-mirin then by all means go for it, but usually what's readily available (at least in the States) is what's called aji-mirin. Kikkoman is by far the most common brand and is a good one to use. Mirin adds sweetness and umami to many Japanese dishes and is also used a lot to make sauces, such as teriyaki sauce.
Dashi (Japanese Stock)
Dashi is a soup stock that is the basis of many Japanese dishes; think of it as the mother of umami. Unlike a lot of Western soup stock where it’s typical to simmer meats for long hours, Japanese dashi is extremely simple and usually consists of only one or two ingredients. Here are some of the most common ingredients dashi is made of:
- Konbu (dried kelp) - Vegan and vegetarian-friendly, this type of dashi is one of the most common and easy to make. Look for it in the dried seaweed section at your local Asian grocery store.
- Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) - This is one of my personal favorites. It’s so versatile and gives an elegant, umami-packed flavor that goes well with so many dishes. It’s really simple to use as well. You literally just toss it in some water and strain it. It can also be used for toppings on hiyayakko (cold tofu), ohitashi (Japanese spinach salad), and so much more. You should be able to find it in a similar section as the konbu.
- Dried shiitake mushroom - Also vegan and vegetarian-friendly. Gives out a good umami flavor by itself but is better combined with katsuo or konbu dashi.
- Niboshi/Iriko (dried sardines or anchovies) - Strong umami flavor and can be more bold compared to the other types of dashi. It can also be fried and eaten as a snack, typically alongside beer as otsumami (Japanese bar food).
You can also find dashi powder that you simply add into any soup or water. It comes in all the types I explained above plus more. It’s very convenient and timesaving, so if you’re looking for the simplest way to make dashi, it’s definitely worth looking into.
Tempurako (Tempura Flour)
Making your own tempura batter isn’t difficult but this makes it even simpler. All you do is mix it into cold water and the batter is ready to go. Great to have if you like to make tempura often. Look for it in the flour and panko (bread crumbs) section at Asian grocery stores.
Goma (Sesame Seeds)
Toasted sesame seeds add extra flavor, texture, and are used a lot in sushi rolls. If you enjoy sesame seeds and want to take it up a level, I recommend using a sesame seed grinder. Grinding the seeds will bring out much more of the aroma while crushing the seeds to your preferred size. I have had past catering customers rave about ground sesame seeds and how they can’t go back. Try it for yourself and see what you think. You can find analog and battery-powered sesame street grinders.
Conclusion
That's it! With these essential pantry ingredients you're now ready to start your sushi making journey! Again, some items are absolutely necessary (think rice) while others you can get by without. It all depends on what you're planning on making and personal preference.
And don't forget to check out the ultimate sushi starting checklist at UltimateSushiKit.com!
Next step? Essential tools and supplies for sushi making which you can check out my post here.
Thanks and see you on the next one! Matane! (See you later!)
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