“But more than that, what's up with this rice?! It's mellow and mild, without the first hint of any vinegary tang!
This isn't your normal sushi rice!"
"Exactly! For this recipe, I used red vinegar.
The vinegar used in sushi rice is typically rice vinegar made from a blend of rice and wheat or corn that is fermented. But red vinegar is made from fermented sake lees!
By the time Edomae sushi- sushi as we know it today- first became popular in the 1820s, red vinegar was already a condiment...
But since the brewing and aging process can take up to five or six years, it has become a luxury vinegar in the present day
Isn't that right, Senpai?!"
"You are correct!"
Oh, I get it! Because of how it's made, red vinegar has less sugar and a mellower flavor! Plus, mixing it with rice won't make the rice as tough, leaving the finished sushi rice soft and fluffy!
But that also makes balancing the flavors of the sushi rice and its toppings a much more delicate task. ”