2 cups Japanese white rice
2 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup mirin
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Gently rinse the rice a couple of times until the water is clear. Drain
it in a colander for half an hour. Place the rice and water in a heavy
pot covered tightly with a lid. Cook over medium-high heat for 10
minutes until steam escapes the lid. Immediately turn the heat to low
and cook for 10 - 15 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.
Remove from the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, heat the mirin, vinegar, and salt in a small
saucepan until the salt is dissolved.
Put the cooked rice in a large mixing bowl. While vigorously
fanning the rice to cool it (newspapers or a small electric fan is
useful, not to mention a friend), slowly stir in the mirin mixture.
Continue stirring and fanning until the rice is cool.
