Keep a Full Batch of Shari at Working Temperature

Sushi rice has to sit at body temperature to be right. Too hot and it turns gluey, too cold and the grains tighten and lose their gloss. The Eslen 20L holds a full batch of seasoned shari at a stable temperature through a whole service, so the rice you plate at the last order matches the rice you plated at the first. It is moulded in Japan by Sekisui from expanded polystyrene, with a close-fitting lid and a 20L working capacity built for a busy counter.

Why sushi rice is held at skin temperature

Sushi rice has a name and a target temperature. Shari (シャリ), the seasoned, vinegared rice at the heart of sushi, is meant to be served at hito-hada (人肌), literally skin temperature, close to the warmth of the hand. Too hot and it goes sticky, too cold and the grains firm up and turn dull. Traditional counters held shari in a wooden ohitsu or hangiri, which breathes and buffers temperature while the chef works through it. This Eslen container is the modern, high-volume equivalent: Sekisui's expanded polystyrene does the same insulating job in a format built for a professional line, holding far more rice than a wooden tub and shrugging off a hard service.

Learn more: Japanese Rice

How do you keep sushi rice at the right temperature during service?

Keep it covered and insulated at body temperature, not in the fridge and not on direct heat. After seasoning, move the rice into an insulated container and keep the lid on between orders so it holds around skin temperature. A damp cloth laid over the surface under the lid stops the top layer drying out. Avoid the fridge, which firms the grains and dulls the flavour, and avoid a hot holding cabinet, which dries and yellows the rice. A 20L container like this one holds a full batch at a steady temperature for the length of a normal service, so the texture stays consistent from the first order to the last.

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