Takenoko Gohan (Japanese Bamboo Rice)
Takenoko Gohan is a traditional Japanese rice dish that allows you to fully enjoy the flavor and texture of bamboo shoots. Experience the perfect harmony between the rice and bamboo shoots.
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Servings: 2
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Japanese short-grain rice (1 rice cooker cup for 2 servings)
- 2.8 oz boiled bamboo shoots
- 0.7 oz aburaage (deep-fried tofu sheets)
Bonito dashi:
- ⅚ cup water
- ⅕ cup bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
Seasonings:
- 1 Tbsp sake
- 1 Tbsp mirin
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp light soy sauce (You can substitute it with regular soy sauce; the main difference is the color.)
Topping (optional):
- sansho leaves (Japanese pepper)
Instructions
- Place a sieve over a bowl, add rice, and rinse it with water. Repeat this process several times, changing the water each time.
- Soak the rinsed rice in water in a pot for at least 30 minutes.
- Put water (as specified in the recipe) in a pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, add bonito flakes, and let it simmer for 3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and strain the mixture through a sieve lined with paper towels or a cloth (such as cheesecloth). Alternatively, if you don't mind some fine bonito flakes remaining, you can simply use a fine-mesh strainer. Bonito dashi is now ready.
- Cut the bamboo shoots into bite-sized pieces along the fibers for the upper part, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. For the bottom to middle part, slice them into bite-sized pieces against the fibers, also about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Finely chop the aburaage.
- Discard the soaking water from the pot. Combine the drained rice with the dashi (⅔ cup/160 ml per 2 servings) and seasonings (sake, mirin, salt, and light soy sauce). Then, evenly distribute the bamboo shoots and aburaage on top.
- Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, 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.
- Serve in individual bowls and top with sansho leaves to taste.
Notes
- If you already have bonito dashi or another type of dashi, skip steps 3 and 4. In that case, use ⅔ cup (160 ml) of your dashi for 2 servings.
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 335.82kcal Carbohydrates: 64.98g Protein: 9.18g Fat: 3.66g Saturated Fat: 0.49g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4g Monounsaturated Fat: 1.25g Sodium: 1191.55mg Potassium: 141.41mg Fiber: 2.95g Sugar: 2.95g Vitamin A: 5.2IU Vitamin C: 0.44mg Calcium: 43.47mg Iron: 3.84mg
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