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Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Seasoned Rice)

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Soaking Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients 
 

Instructions 

  • First, place 300 g uncooked Japanese rice in a bowl and fill it with water. Swish, drain and repeat 3 times to wash it. (It's okay if the water is still cloudy.)
    washing rice in a steel bowl
  • Pour your rice into a bowl and add enough water to completely submerge it. Leave to soak for one hour. 
    soaking rice in water in a steel bowl
  • Place 2-3 dried shiitake mushroom and 3 g dried kelp (kombu) in 275 ml cold water and soak it for one hour. This will make a shiitake and kombu dashi.
    soaking dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu in a bowl of water
  • After the rice has soaked for 1 hour, pour through a sieve to drain and place over an empty bowl to dry until it's time to cook.
    drying rice in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl
  • Remove the shiitake mushroom and kombu from the bowl, the liquid inside is a light dashi that we will use later. Finely slice the rehydrated shiitake mushroom and discard the kombu. (Alternatively, use the kombu to make kombu tsukudani rice ball filling.)
    rehydrated shiitake mushrooms cut into strips
  • Peel the skin off of 150 g boneless chicken thigh and cut it into bite-size pieces. Cut the meat into small pieces and set aside.
    chicken thigh meat and skin cut into small bitesize pieces on a wooden chopping board
  • Heat a small frying pan on medium and once hot, add ½ tsp cooking oil and the chicken skin. Place a lid on to prevent the fat from splashing and fry on both sides until crispy.
    frying chicken skin in a frying pan with lid
  • Once done, remove the crispy chicken skin from the pan and place on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil. Using the same pan, add the chicken meat and fry until sealed.
    frying chicken thigh in a frying pan
  • Next, add the sliced shiitake mushrooms from the dashi to the pan along with 50 g carrot, 10 g ginger root, and 3 sheets fried tofu pouch (aburaage). Stir fry them for a minute to allow your other ingredients to absorb some flavor from the chicken juices. (You do not need to cook them completely as they will cook with the rice later.) Remove the pan from the heat.
    chicken, fried tofu pouch, ginger and carrot frying in a frying pan
  • Transfer the dried rice to a pot (or rice cooker) and pour in the dashi liquid from the shiitake and kombu. Empty the contents of the frying pan on top of the rice. Add the chicken skin too (or save for later and sprinkle on top).
    Finally, pour 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 2 tbsp tsuyu sauce (noodle soup base), 2 tbsp mirin and 2 tbsp sake into the pot. IMPORTANT: Do not mix!
    rice, dashi, meat and vegetables in a pot
  • Place the pot onto the stove with the lid on and bring it to a boil over a medium heat. (Listen carefully and try to refrain from removing the lid.) Once you can hear it boiling, set a timer for 2 minutes.
    After two minutes, reduce the heat to medium low and set a timer for 3 minutes. Turn the heat right down to the lowest setting and set a timer for 5 minutes. Blast the heat for 10 seconds on the highest setting and then turn it off. Leave the rice pot on the warm stove and allow to steam for 20 minutes.
    cooking chicken takikomi gohan in a pot with a lid
  • After 20 minutes of steaming, remove the lid and mix the rice thoroughly.
    mixed chicken takikomi gohan in a pot
  • Serve with a sprinkle of finely chopped green onions and enjoy! 

Notes

Leftovers should be frozen (not refrigerated) and then thoroughly reheated in the microwave before eating.