Recipe Rice with Broccolini
"Tasting rice with a surface sprinkled with fragrant ingredients is a practice that has been widespread since the Muromachi period (1336-1573). This particular style of dish, studded with broccolini (nanohana), has been enjoyed since the Edo period (1603-1868), on March 3, during the Peach Festival - also known as the Doll Festival. While chirashi sushi (unstructured sushi) often features raw fish on top of sushi rice, this highly original vegetarian version may well be the best dish of its kind I've ever had." Nancy Singleton Hachisu
- Author
- Nancy Singleton Hachisu
- Prep Time
- 30 minutes
- Cooking Time
- 20 minutes
- Servings
- 5 generous portions
- Category
- Savoury starter
Ingredients
- 55cl (450g) round Japanese rice
- 25 cl kombu dashi
- 25 cl shiitake dashi
- 2 tbsp. sake
- 4 tbsp. red vinegar (akasu)
- 3 tbsp. brown sugar (kibizato)
- 3 tsp. and a half fine salt.
- 1 bunch broccolini or broccoli rabe, 5 cm from base removed (150g)
- 1 pouch of fried tofu (usuage)
- 4 rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms (used to make shiitake dashi),1 small carrot (75g)
- 1 tsp. intense roasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp. usukuchi shoyu
- 2 green shiso leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. white sesame seeds, dry-heated in a pan until fragrant
Directions
- Wash and drain the rice. Place in a medium, thick-bottomed casserole dish. Pour in the kombu dashi, shiitake dashi and sake, then leave to stand for 20 minutes. Cook everything together, leave to rest and drain the rice.
- In a bowl, combine vinegar, sugar and a teaspoon of salt.
- While preparing the other ingredients, stir the vinegar solution from time to time to help dissolve the sugar and salt.
- Fill a medium casserole dish three-quarters full with water, add 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to the boil over high heat. Plunge the broccolini stems into the boiling water for 10 seconds, then plunge them completely into the water and cook for a further 50 seconds. Remove with a fine sieve and refresh under cold water. Shake, then roll in a clean kitchen towel to absorb as much moisture as possible.
- Align bases on cutting board. Cut stems and chop finely. Cut florets crosswise into 2 and set aside separately.
- Cut usuage in 2 lengthwise, then slice crosswise into thin strips. Thinly slice the shiitake. Cut carrots into 4 cm-long rectangles (tanzakugiri).
- Heat a medium skillet over low-medium heat, then pour in the oil. Sauté the usuage, shiitake and carrot, then stir once with a wooden spatula to distribute the oil. Add the usukuchi shoyu and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, then sauté for about 3 minutes to soften the carrot and flavour the other ingredients. Remove from the heat and leave to cool in the pan.
- When the rice is cooked, immediately transfer it to a flat wooden container (handai) or cutting board and spread out in an even layer. Stir the vinegar solution one last time, then sprinkle over the rice. With one hand, fan the rice and, with the other, gradually turn it over so that it absorbs the vinegar. It should not look damp to the eye. Cover with a clean, damp cloth and leave to stand for 30 minutes, until the flavors develop.
- Add the shiitake, usuage, carrot and pan juices, then the chopped broccolini stems and mix. Spoon the mixture into a handai or ohitsu, then sprinkle with broccolini florets. Sprinkle with shiso and sesame seeds, then serve as a light lunch.
