Autumn chestnut rice
Ingredients:
2 medium-size dried shiitake mushrooms
2 cups rinsed short- or medium-grain rice, preferably shinmai
2-1/3 cups water (use 3 tablespoons less water if using shinmai)
1 (7-oz.) jar chestnuts in heavy syrup, drained
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu)
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Radish sprouts (kaiwari daikon) (optional)
Preparation/cooking time: 1 hour
Servings: 3 or 4
Preparation
Directions
Soak mushrooms in a bowl of warm water 30 minutes. Squeeze dry; cut off stems.
Dice mushrooms. In a 3-quart saucepan, combine rinsed rice and water; soak 15
minutes. Rinse chestnuts to remove syrup. Drain well; cut into quarters. Add
mushrooms, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, salt, soy sauce and mirin to saucepan
with rice; stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover saucepan with a
tight-fitting lid. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Let stand, covered and undisturbed, 10 minutes. Carefully break up rice
mixture with a dampened wooden rice paddle or spatula. Spoon rice mixture into
serving bowls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and radish sprouts.
