Why is vinegar not applied to rice used for onigiri like rice for sushi?
So sushi and onigiri (rice balls) are similar to a naive eye to me wherein there's some shaped rice.
Sushi usually gets some vinegar for taste and to help it stick to my understanding.
Yet onigiri doesn't? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onigiri At most the rice gets plainly salted?
I was wondering if there are particular reasons whether for construction, taste etc for the difference in handling. Both can be eaten hand held so my possible theory of sticky vinegar undesired for onigiri doesn't make sense.
Is it a cultural or traditional reason?
Best Answer
Not a Japanese chef, but I do homemade nori rolls and onigiri:
The purpose of the vinegar in sushi rice is to flavor it, not to make it more sticky. If anything, the vinegar makes it less sticky due to adding a little acidity and moisture. Sushi rice is supposed to be delicate and "crumble" when you bite into it. In contrast, onigiri rice should be tough and springy, almost like a dough, so you want to maximize stickiness.
For this reason, while sushi rice is specifically cooled to room temperature before being formed, onigiri rice is not; it's best to make the balls with the rice still warm from the cooker. Mixing the vinegar into the rice would cool it, and make it harder to form firm balls that hold up to being stuffed into a lunch sack.
Pictures about "Why is vinegar not applied to rice used for onigiri like rice for sushi?"
Quick Answer about "Why is vinegar not applied to rice used for onigiri like rice for sushi?"
If anything, the vinegar makes it less sticky due to adding a little acidity and moisture. Sushi rice is supposed to be delicate and "crumble" when you bite into it. In contrast, onigiri rice should be tough and springy, almost like a dough, so you want to maximize stickiness.Does onigiri use rice vinegar?
Onigiri is usually made with rice seasoned only with salt. I like to make it with sushi rice, which is seasoned with salt, sugar, and rice vinegar.Can I use vinegar for sushi rice?
Sushi rice is made by cooking Japanese short-grain rice, which is then seasoned with a mixture of rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and often with kombu (kelp). In Japanese, sushi rice is also known as sushi-meshi (\u9ba8\u98ef), su-meshi (\u9162\u98ef), or shari (\u30b7\u30e3\u30ea). We only use this vinegar-flavored rice when making all kinds of sushi.Is sushi rice the same as onigiri rice?
For the uninitiated, onigiri are sometimes misunderstood as a type of sushi but they are not. One of the key differences between onigiri and sushi is that onigiri starts from a base of plain steamed rice, while sushi is made of steamed rice seasoned with vinegar, salt, and sugar.Is sushi and rice vinegar the same?
It is made by fermenting rice, is usually pale in color, and has a mellow taste. Rice vinegar is not only used in sushi but different dips, sauces, and salad dressings as well. Sushi vinegar on the other hand is made by seasoning rice vinegar, by adding salt, sugar, and also sake.How to Make Onigiri \u0026 Homemade Furikake | Japanese Rice Balls | おにぎりとふりかけの作り方
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Sarah Chai, FOX, Sarah Chai, FOX