Japanese kabocha gohan in its most classic form: short-grain rice cooked in dashi with melting pieces of kabocha squash, seasoned simply with soy sauce, mirin and sake, sprinkled with black sesame.
Ingredients
- 300 g Japanese short-grain rice (sushi rice)
- 500 g kabocha squash
- 450 ml dashi
- 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp cooking sake
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
Method
- Rinse the rice in a large bowl, changing the water 4 to 5 times, gently rubbing it between your palms, until the water is almost clear. Drain in a strainer and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the squash: cut the piece of kabocha in half, remove the seeds and strings with a spoon, then cut the flesh into 3 to 4 cm cubes, keeping the skin, which holds the flesh during cooking and gives color to the dish.
- Pour the drained rice into the rice cooker bowl (or a heavy-bottomed pot). Add the cold dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake and salt, and mix gently to distribute the seasoning.
- Place the kabocha cubes on the surface of the rice, skin side down, without pressing them in or stirring: the squash must steam on top of the rice to keep the pieces intact.
- Start cooking: standard rice cooker program, or if using a pot, bring to a simmer uncovered, cover tightly, cook for 12 minutes over very low heat then remove from the heat.
- Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes without lifting the lid, to finish cooking with the residual steam.
- Open, fluff the rice with a wet rice paddle, barely mashing a few pieces of squash and keeping most intact. Adjust the seasoning with a pinch of salt if needed.
- Serve in individual bowls, making sure to distribute the pieces of kabocha, and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 369.9 kcal
- Protein
- 8.25 g
- Carbohydrate
- 74.15 g
- Fat
- 2.23 g
- Fibre
- 3.77 g
- Calcium
- 61.72 mg
- Iron
- 1.24 mg
- Magnesium
- 35 mg
