Japanese Corn Rice allows you to enjoy the natural sweetness of corn as it perfectly blends with the rice. The vibrant yellow color of the corn adds an elegant touch to the dish and stimulates your appetite.
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What is Japanese Corn Rice?
Japanese Corn Rice is a dish made by cooking rice together with corn, sake, and salt. The sake and salt enhance the natural flavor of the corn without overpowering it, resulting in a rich and flavorful rice dish. For the best results, it is important to cook the rice with both the corn on the cob and the kernels so that the corn's flavor can fully infuse into the rice.
In Japan, there is a cultural tradition of cooking seasonal ingredients together with rice, and corn rice is a popular choice for the summer. It is easy to prepare and delicious, so I encourage you to give it a try.
Best corn variety
There are various types of corn, but for Japanese corn rice, it is best to use a variety known as sweet corn. Sweet corn is the most commonly available edible corn worldwide and is characterized by its sweetness. While there are different varieties of sweet corn, any type will work.
You can also make this dish with canned corn, but it is not highly recommended. For an authentic and flavorful Japanese corn rice, using fresh corn is the best option.
Cooking tools
The tool you need to make this dish is the same as the one used to cook regular Japanese rice: a pot or a rice cooker. In Japan, while most households have a rice cooker, it is less common outside of Japan, so I’m sharing a recipe using a pot here. Of course, you can also use a rice cooker; in that case, simply replace the pot with the rice cooker in the recipe.
To learn more about how to cook Japanese rice on the stove, please refer to the linked page.
Seasonal Japanese rice dishes
In Japan, there are many types of cooked rice dishes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. One representative rice dish in summer is corn rice, but there are also other seasonal varieties, such as mame gohan (green pea rice), ginger rice, kuri gohan (chestnut rice), satsumaimo gohan (Japanese sweet potato rice), and kaki gohan (oyster rice), all prepared according to the season.
In traditional Japanese kaiseki restaurants, it is customary to serve a rice dish made with seasonal ingredients before dessert. If you have the opportunity to try kaiseki cuisine, pay attention to the ingredients used in the rice dishes. You will surely experience the essence of the season.
📋Step-by-step recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Japanese short-grain rice (2 rice cooker cups for 4 servings)
- 1 ⅔ cups water
- 1 corn on the cob
- 1 Tbsp sake
- 1 ⅓ tsp salt
Instructions
🕒 Total: 1 hr
Step 1
Place a sieve over a bowl, add rice, and rinse it with water (not listed in the ingredients). Repeat this process several times, changing the water each time.
Step 2
Soak the rinsed rice in water (as specified in the recipe) in a pot for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3
Remove the husk, silk, and stalk from the corn. Next, cut the corn in half crosswise. Then, stand each half of the corn upright and cut off the kernels with a knife.
Step 4
Add sake and salt to the pot, stirring to distribute them evenly. Scatter the kernels and place the corn cobs on top.
Step 5
Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 11 minutes (10 minutes for 2 servings, 12 minutes for 6 servings).
Step 6
Turn off the heat and let it steam for 10 minutes with the lid still on.
Step 7
Open the lid and remove the corn cobs, then mix the rice and kernels together.
To store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please consider leaving a review and star rating in the comments below. If you enjoyed it, I’d really appreciate it if you shared it with your friends.
Recipe card
Japanese Corn Rice
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Japanese short-grain rice (2 rice cooker cups for 4 servings)
- 1 ⅔ cups water
- 1 corn on the cob
- 1 Tbsp sake
- 1 ⅓ tsp salt
Instructions
- Place a sieve over a bowl, add rice, and rinse it with water (not listed in the ingredients). Repeat this process several times, changing the water each time.
- Soak the rinsed rice in water (as specified in the recipe) in a pot for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the husk, silk, and stalk from the corn. Next, cut the corn in half crosswise. Then, stand each half of the corn upright and cut off the kernels with a knife.
- Add sake and salt to the pot, stirring to distribute them evenly. Scatter the kernels and place the corn cobs on top.
- Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 11 minutes (10 minutes for 2 servings, 12 minutes for 6 servings).
- Turn off the heat and let it steam for 10 minutes with the lid still on.
- Open the lid and remove the corn cobs, then mix the rice and kernels together.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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