Food MonthDinner Dash

Cúán Greene’s Japanese rice bowl

Cúán Greene's Japanese rice bowl. Photograph: Babs Daly

Cúán Greene
Fri Nov 3 2023 - 04:00
Serves: 2
Course: Dinner, lunch
Ingredients
  • For the rice:
  • 250g sushi rice (125g per person will provide seconds and a little extra)
  • 300g water
  • 1 small square of kombu (3x3cm)
  • To garnish:
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 100-200ml soy sauce
  • 2 scallions finely sliced on a bias
  • Togarashi seasoning or furikake nori sliced into matchsticks
  1. First, cure your egg yolks. Pour the soy sauce into a small bowl. Place the yolks into the bowl and set aside for 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
  2. To make the sticky rice, place the rice in a medium-sized bowl and add just enough water to submerge. Now discard the water immediately by draining it through a sieve. The milky-starchy water carries impurities which you don’t want to be absorbed by the rice.
  3. Using your hand, give the damp rice a mix in a circular motion for about 15 seconds. This causes the grains to rub off each other and helps clean the rice.
  4. Repeat the process a few more times until the water is almost clear, then strain the rice again through the sieve. This process takes a total of five minutes.
  5. Place the 300g of water in a medium-sized pot and add the strained rice. Add the sheet of kombu if you have it and let it soak for 10-15 minutes if you can. Place the heat on high and bring the rice to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid, allowing a small gap for steam to escape. Cook the rice, keeping an eye to make sure it remains at a gentle simmer until the water has evaporated. This takes about eight minutes.
  6. When all the water has been absorbed, taste the rice. It probably won’t be fully cooked through by this stage, so place the lid firmly on top. The residual steam will continue to cook the rice. Although most recipes tell you to keep the lid on for 10 minutes, it’s best to check after five to ensure you don’t overcook the rice. The time really depends on the grain you have used (every brand cooks a little differently) and how gently or heavily you simmer the rice (every stove is different).
  7. When the rice is to your liking, you should remove it from the pot to halt the cooking process. You can transfer it to a baking tray lined with parchment or another bowl. To avoid the rice becoming dry, place a damp kitchen towel on top.
  8. To serve, place spoonfuls of rice in bowls, and place an egg yolk on top. Scatter over the sliced scallions, nori and togarashi seasoning. The rice bowl is best eaten mixed up with chopsticks. Feel free to add another egg yolk, and maybe some soy sauce, chilli crunch or peanut rayu.

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