Sushi Rice

Place rice in a medium bowl and cover with tap water. Let soak 15 minutes.

Drain rice through a fine-mesh sieve. Holding the sieve in the sink, run tap water over rice, gently stirring with a clean hand until water runs clear. Turn off water and gently shake sieve to discard as much remaining water as possible.

Transfer rice to a small pot and cover with 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 15 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and place a paper towel or clean kitchen towel over top of pot. Cover with lid and let sit 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small heatproof bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Microwave 30 seconds, then stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. (If not fully dissolved, microwave 10 seconds more, then stir again.)

As soon as the rice has steamed the full 10 minutes, uncover and remove paper or kitchen towel. Gently turn rice out of pot onto a bare metal sheet pan or large bowl. Using a flexible rubber spatula, gently scoop and spread rice in an even layer. Be careful not to be too aggressive here; you don’t want to break up the rice. Sprinkle seasoned vinegar over. Still using spatula, gently toss rice until seasoned and any clumps are broken up.

Use rice immediately, or cover with a damp cloth to keep warm and prevent it from drying out.