Your First Batch: The Checklist

Everything you need on hand before you steam your first pot of rice — no specialty equipment required.

You do not need a fermentation chamber or a hydrometer to start. You almost certainly have most of this already.

Ingredients

  • Short-grain rice — 1 kg. The stickier the better.
  • Nuruk — about 100–150 g. This is the one thing you’ll likely order online.
  • Water — filtered or dechlorinated, roughly 1.2 L.

Equipment

  • A wide glass or food-grade plastic jar, at least 4 L, with a loose lid.
  • A big pot and a steamer basket (or a colander that fits).
  • A clean spoon long enough to reach the bottom.
  • A warm spot that stays around 22–26 °C (72–79 °F).

Before you begin

  1. Sanitize everything the rice or must will touch. Boiling water works.
  2. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then soak it for an hour.
  3. Clear your calendar for a quick daily stir over the next week.

That’s the whole kit. In the next post we actually mix and pitch the first batch.

← Back to all posts