Chicken and Shiitake Takikomi Gohan

Rice grains infused with umami broth, mixed with tender chicken pieces and melting vegetables. A soy and mirin-scented steam escapes the pot upon opening.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 489
• Protein: 23 g
• Carbs: 86 g
• Fat: 4 g

Ingredients

• 400 g White rice ( rinsed and drained )
• 200 g Chicken cutlet ( finely diced )
• 1 piece Carrot ( julienned )
• 4 piece shiitake mushroom ( thinly sliced )
• 400 ml dashi stock ( liquid )
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Sake or rice alcohol
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 0.5 piece Chives fresh ( chopped )
• 50 g Burdock root ( peeled and cut into thin shavings (sasagaki) )
• 1 piece Aburaage (fried tofu) ( blanched to remove excess oil and cut into strips )

Instructions

1. Rinsing the rice

   Wash the white rice in plenty of water, rubbing it gently. Change the water several times until it is perfectly clear. Drain it and let it rest for 15 minutes in a colander so that the grain moistens evenly.

2. Preparing the toppings

   Cut the chicken into 2 cm cubes. Cut the carrot into fine julienne and slice the shiitake mushrooms. Prepare the burdock root into thin shavings (sasagaki) and cut the aburaage into thin strips after blanching it. The pieces should be small enough to mix harmoniously with the rice.

3. Seasoning the broth

   In a bowl, mix the dashi broth, soy sauce, sake, and mirin. Add a pinch of grey sea salt. The mixture should have an amber color and a strong taste that will be absorbed by the rice.

4. Cooking

   Place the drained rice in the pot. Pour the seasoned liquid over it. Arrange the chicken, carrots, mushrooms, burdock, and aburaage on top of the rice without mixing. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to minimum for 15 minutes. The liquid must be completely absorbed.

5. Resting and finishing

   Let rest for 10 minutes off the heat without lifting the lid. Then, mix gently with a wooden spatula by lifting the rice from the bottom up. The grains should be shiny and come apart easily. Sprinkle with chopped chives before serving.

Chef's tips

• Never mix the toppings into the rice before cooking, or the rice will not cook evenly.
• The 10-minute rest after cooking is crucial: this is when the grains finish swelling to the core thanks to residual steam.

Storage

Can be kept for 2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Reheat with steam to keep the rice soft.