Shrimp and Rice, Japanese Style
Recipe courtesy of Mark Bittman
Watch how to make this recipe.
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 4 servings
- Nutritional Analysis Per Serving (Serving Size 1 of 8 servings): Calories 269 Total Fat 5 g Saturated Fat 1 g Carbohydrates 42 g Dietary Fiber 2 g Sugar 2 g Protein 13 g Cholesterol 72 mg Sodium 690 mg
- Total: 50 min
- Active: 30 min
Discover the magic of kayaku gohan reimagined with succulent shrimpthis Japanese rice dish rivals paella in flavor but shines with its own elegant twist. Homemade dashi elevates it to perfection (just 15 minutes to prepare!), and you can swap shrimp for squid rings, hearty fish fillets, salmon, seafood medleys, or tender chicken thighs. Ready to create a comforting, umami-packed meal that'll have everyone reaching for seconds?
2 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil
6 to 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water until soft, chopped (stems discarded)
1 onion, chopped
1 piece dried kelp (kombu), 4 to 6 inches long, soaked and chopped, optional
1 3/4 cups short-grain white rice
4 cups Dashi, recipe follows, or water, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon mirin (or 1 1/2 teaspoons honey mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons water)
1 pound large or medium shrimp, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped snow peas or fresh or frozen peas
Salt, optional
Dashi
1 piece dried kelp (kombu), 4 to 6 inches long
1/2 to 1 cup dried bonito flakes
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) NEW: You can now switch to Cook Mode to keep your screen awake.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms and onion, cooking with occasional stirs until softened and browned in spots, around 10 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium, then incorporate the reserved soaked kombu from the dashi if using, along with the rice; mix thoroughly. Pour in the dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. Stir well, set the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cover the pot. Continue cooking until the rice nears full tenderness, approximately 15 minutes.
- Upon lifting the lid, the blend should remain somewhat liquid (supplement with extra dashi or water if too dry). Mix in the shrimp and peas, increase the heat slightly, and cook while stirring now and then until the rice fully softens, shrimp is done, and the dish stays moist yet not overly wet, about 2 minutes. Sample and tweak seasoning as needed before serving.
Dashi
Yield: Makes 8 cups.
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine the kelp with 8 cups of water. Avoid boiling; just before it reaches that point, remove from heat, stir in the bonito flakes. Extract the kelp and save it for the rice if you like. Allow to steep for a few minutes, then strain. Use the dashi right away or store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Adapted from HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING, Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition by Mark Bittman. Copyright 2019 by Double B Publishing, Inc. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Categories:
