Seasoned rice with mushrooms

Points for the recipe
Using the kakugama's outer lid to grill the mushrooms without washing away their umami and aroma, and then using it as a lid when cooking the rice, allows the rich mushroom flavor to infuse the rice more strongly, resulting in a delicious meal.

Preparation

• Rinse the rice thoroughly and soak it in water. In a bowl, place the rice and add enough water to cover it generously, then let it soak for about one hour.

Instructions

1. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and break them apart by hand.

2. Grill the mushrooms using a grill pan (outer lid). For larger mushrooms like shiitake, cut them into bite-sized pieces.

3. Place the rinsed and drained rice, dashi, light soy sauce, mirin, finely chopped grilled mushrooms from step 2, and thinly sliced deep-fried tofu in the kakugama. Heat it over high heat, and once it boils, close the outer lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat, sprinkle sake over the surface of the pot, cover with the outer lid, and let it steam for another 10 minutes.

4. Transfer the cooked rice to a serving dish, grate the zest of the green yuzu over it, and it's ready to serve.

＊When preparing this dish abroad, feel free to experiment with different types of mushrooms. You can also enhance the flavor by adding a finishing touch of grated lemon zest.