MultiGrain Sushi Rice Recipe

The Components: Long Grain Brown Rice, Black Quinoa, Barley and Grits

Multigrain sushi rice is popping up everywhere these days. Whole Foods has it and some of the more trendy sushi bars are offering it as a wholesome alternative to white rice. (And then there is my friend Bun Lai of Miya’s in New Haven, CT. He only uses multigrain sushi rice; but there is nothing trendy about it! Tremendous thought and care goes into every part of selecting the grains used for his mix.)

It took me a while to sort through my feelings about this. On the one hand, I still believe that the best sushi is made with short or medium grain white rice. But on the other hand, the idea of alternative grains appeals to the health nut in me. And in the end I decided “Why not?”

Full of flavor and textures to be discovered in each bite

Before you jump on the multigrain sushi rice bandwagon, keep these things in mind:

1. The texture of cooked grains vary greatly. Multigrain sushi rice will need some coaxing in order to spread and adhere to nori like traditional sushi rice.

2. Yes, I’ve added quinoa to this mix knowing that it is not a true grain.

3. Grits? Yes. This ground corn is a Southern staple and essential to the binding of this rice. If you’re from the South, skip to the next tip. For everyone else, look for grits on your grocer’s hot cereal aisle. Kudos if you kind find a stone ground, artisanal version.

4. To maximize your multigrain sushi experience, use bold flavors as sushi ingredients to help balance out the presence of the grains. Also, opt for sushi roll techniques that feature the nori on the outside. Thin rolls, thick rolls and hand rolls are best choices.

MultiGrain Sushi Rice Recipe

Makes about 4 cups

1/2 cup long grain brown rice

1/4 cup black or red quinoa

1/4 cup pearled barley

2 tablespoons grits (not quick cooking)

2 cups water

The Dressing 

1/2 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons honey (or sorghum for vegans)

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Mix the grains well before cooking.

1. Toss the brown rice, quinoa, barley and grits into the well of your rice cooker. Mix well. Cover with the 2 cups of water. Start the rice cooker and cook for exactly 40 minutes.

2. While the grains cook, whisk together the rice vinegar, honey, turbinado sugar, and salt. All of the sugar and salt will not dissolve, but give yourself a good workout trying to incorporate as much as possible. Set the mix aside.

Spread the grains thin across the bottom of a casserole dish to cool before use.

3. After 40 minutes, remove the grains from the rice cooker. (It may seem a little moist. This is okay, as it will dry out some.) Transfer the grains to a flat glass bottomed dish, such as a casserole dish. Toss the dressing over the grains and stir well with a plastic or wooden spoon. For good measure, go ahead and throw in the undissolved sugar and salt, too. Spread the marinated grains very thin across the dish. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before using.

Cucumber and Shiso Rolls made with MultiGrain Sushi Rice