While ginger usually complements the flavors of main and side dishes, it also pairs very well with rice. Japanese rice infused with ginger flavor is truly appetizing.
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What is Japanese Ginger Rice?
Japanese Ginger Rice is a type of cooked rice seasoned with ginger and traditional Japanese seasonings. Japanese dashi broth and seasonings greatly enhance the ginger's flavor.
In Japan, there is a cultural tradition of cooking seasonal ingredients together with rice, and ginger rice is a popular dish enjoyed from summer to fall. The refreshing flavor of ginger is sure to whet your appetite more than you might expect.
Benefits of ginger
Ginger is known for its health benefits and is an ingredient you’d want to incorporate into your daily meals. The benefits of ginger include:
- Promoting blood circulation.
- Improving digestion.
- Aiding in fatigue recovery.
- Enhancing skin health.
In other words, ginger rice is an ideal way to enjoy ginger deliciously and receive its benefits simultaneously.
Variations with aburaage
Ginger rice is often made using only ginger as an ingredient in Japan, but sometimes, aburaage (deep-fried tofu) is added. If you choose to include aburaage, make sure to chop it finely to take advantage of its texture and flavor.
In this recipe, I didn't add it to enjoy the pure flavor of ginger, but adding it would provide you with a slightly different and enjoyable variation of the ginger rice.
Cooking tools
The tool required to make Japanese ginger rice is the same as the one needed to cook regular Japanese white rice: a pot or a rice cooker. In Japan, while most households have a rice cooker, outside of Japan, few households own one. Therefore, I will share a recipe using a pot here.
Please refer to this page for information on "How to cook Japanese Rice using a pot."
About Japanese seasonal cooked rice dishes
In Japan, there are many types of cooked rice made with fresh seasonal ingredients. One of the representative rice dishes from summer to fall in Japan is Ginger Rice, but there are also other dishes such as Bean Rice, Corn Rice, Chestnut Rice, and Sweet Potato Rice prepared according to the season.
In traditional Japanese kaiseki restaurants, it is common to serve cooked rice made with seasonal ingredients as a staple dish before dessert. If you have the opportunity to try kaiseki cuisine, pay attention to the ingredients used in the rice. You will surely experience the essence of the season.
Ingredients
- 5.3 oz. (150g) or ¾ cup (180ml) Japanese white rice
- 1 oz. (28g) ginger
- ¾ cup (180ml) bonito dashi (awase dashi) (For information on how to make bonito dashi and awase dashi, please refer to the linked article) (While the flavor will fade, you can substitute it with water) (A)
- ½ Tbsp sake (A)
- ½ Tbsp mirin (A)
- ¼ tsp salt (A)
- 1 Tbsp light soy sauce (regular soy sauce can be substituted) (A)
Step-by-step instructions
🕒 Total 1 hrs
Step 1
Place a sieve over a bowl, add the rice, and rinse it with water (not included in the recipe). Rinse the rice several times, changing the water each time.
Step 2
Soak the rinsed rice in water (amount indicated in the recipe) in a pot for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3
Peel the ginger and cut it into long, thin strips.
Step 4
Pour out the water in which the rice was soaked. Mix the drained rice with A (dashi, sake, mirin, salt, light soy sauce) in a pot. Put the shredded ginger on top of the rice.
Step 5
Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 10 minutes, or slightly longer for larger quantities (11 minutes for 4 servings, 12 minutes for 6 servings).
Step 6
Turn off the heat and let it steam for 10 minutes with the lid still on.
To Store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips on how to make
- Cut the ginger into thin strips. When they are as thin as rice grains, the ginger will blend well with the rice.
- It is recommended to cook rice in dashi broth instead of water. Using dashi enhances the flavor.
Recipe Card
Japanese Ginger Rice
Ingredients
- 5.3 oz. (150g) or ¾ cup (180ml) Japanese white rice
- 1 oz. (28g) ginger
- ¾ cup (180ml) bonito dashi (awase dashi) (For information on how to make bonito dashi and awase dashi, please refer to the linked article) (While the flavor will fade, you can substitute it with water) (A)
- ½ Tbsp sake (A)
- ½ Tbsp mirin (A)
- ¼ tsp salt (A)
- 1 Tbsp light soy sauce (regular soy sauce can be substituted) (A)
Instructions
- Place a sieve over a bowl, add the rice, and rinse it with water (not included in the recipe). Rinse the rice several times, changing the water each time.
- Soak the rinsed rice in water (amount indicated in the recipe) in a pot for at least 30 minutes.
- Peel the ginger and cut it into long, thin strips.
- Pour out the water in which the rice was soaked. Mix the drained rice with A (dashi, sake, mirin, salt, light soy sauce) in a pot. Put the shredded ginger on top of the rice.
- Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 10 minutes, or slightly longer for larger quantities (11 minutes for 4 servings, 12 minutes for 6 servings).
- Turn off the heat and let it steam for 10 minutes with the lid still on.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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