Japanese cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Kuri Gohan

Autumnal rice with sweet chestnuts, cooked in the pot with sake and salt and sprinkled with black sesame.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g sushi rice
• 300 g chestnuts (fresh or pre-cooked)
• 420 ml water
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 piece kombu (5 cm)
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Soak fresh chestnuts in hot water for 30 min., then peel off the shell and brown inner skin with a small knife and halve the kernels; just halve pre-cooked chestnuts.
2. Put the peeled chestnuts in cold water for 15 min. so they release their bitter compounds, then drain.
3. Wash the rice until the water stays clear, drain and let it sit for 20 min. so it swells evenly during cooking.
4. Put rice, 420 ml water, sake, mirin and salt into a heavy pot, lay the kombu piece on top and spread the chestnuts evenly over it without stirring.
5. Bring to a boil covered, then cook over the lowest heat for 13 min. and let it steam without lifting the lid for another 12 min. — only then open the pot.
6. Remove the kombu, gently loosen the rice with a wooden spatula so the chestnuts stay whole, and serve in bowls sprinkled with black sesame seeds.