The dangerously delicious taste of "endless white rice"! Two special "rice accompaniment recipes" [How to cook delicious new rice]

Hello. I am Ayumi Nakaganji, a chef.

Recently, I was in charge of a cooking class at a rice event held in Fukuoka City. In the lesson using vinegared rice, a five-star rice master (apparently there are only two in Fukuoka City at the moment!) helped the students choose the perfect rice for vinegared rice.

When making vinegared rice with regular white rice, it always ends up being sticky and soggy, but when I used this rice, it wasn't sticky and cut perfectly with the rice spoon. I learned a lot about how different rice can be.

Since it's the season for new rice, we'd like to introduce some side dishes that will make your rice even more delicious. We'll also share with you how to cook new rice deliciously, as told by a rice master.

1. "Minced soybeans" - a local dish from Ibaraki with an addictive texture

I saw it on TV a while ago and thought, "This looks delicious," so I gave it a go and made it myself, and it turned out really good.

It's a little different from the actual way this Ibaraki local dish is made, but it's good enough to make at home!

The crunchy texture of the daikon and the sticky texture of the natto combine to create a chewy yet soft dish that you'll find yourself eating over and over again.

The inclusion of dried daikon radish also encourages you to chew it thoroughly.

Image: Ayumi Chuganji

It is recommended to use slightly thicker, chewy "wariboshi daikon" (see photo), but if you don't have any, regular kiriboshi daikon is also delicious.

Image: Ayumi Chuganji

[Ingredients] (Serves 2)
Dried daikon strips (or regular dried daikon strips) - 20g
Natto...2 packs
A Sake・・・1 tablespoon
A Soy sauce・・・1 tablespoon
A Mirin・・・1 tablespoon
A. Salt... a pinch

<How to make>

(1) Rinse the split dried daikon radish quickly and soak it in lukewarm water for about 5 minutes. *This soaking water is excellent in both nutrition and flavor, so use it as a stock for miso soup or simmered dishes.

(2) Squeeze out the excess water from the dried daikon radish and cut it into bite-sized pieces (a size that will blend well with the natto), then place it in a frying pan and heat it on the stove.

(3) Add A to (2) and stir fry over low heat, being careful not to burn it, while allowing the dried daikon radish to absorb the liquid.

(4) Put the natto and the sauce provided (one portion) in a bowl and mix well, then add (3) and mix.

It's good to eat it right after making it, but it tastes better if you let it sit for a while so the flavors of the dried daikon and natto can blend together.

The crunchy texture of the daikon and the sticky texture of the natto combine to create a chewy yet soft dish that you'll find yourself eating over and over again.

2: Mix and serve! "Gizzard Kimchi" goes great with rice

Once the ingredients are mixed together, instant kimchi is ready.

The kimchi sauce and the chewy texture of the gizzard go perfectly together. If you eat it on top of rice, it's a dangerous taste that you could eat endlessly. Please eat it within about 4 days.

Image: Ayumi Chuganji

[Ingredients] (Serves 2)
Gizzard・・・100g
Green onion, Chinese chives...30g in total
A Garlic (grated)・・・1/4 teaspoon
A Ginger (grated)・・・1/2 teaspoon
A Sugar... 1 teaspoon
A Honey・・・1/2 tablespoon
A Coarsely ground Korean chili pepper (mild is recommended) ... 2 tablespoons
A. Fish sauce・・・1 teaspoon
Sesame oil...appropriate amount
White sesame seeds... appropriate amount

<How to make>

(1) Wash the gizzards thoroughly and wipe off any excess moisture with paper towels. Insert a knife vertically into the hollowed-out area of the center of each pair of gizzards to cut them in half. Remove the white part at the seam with the knife. Cut each half into 3 to 4 equal pieces.

(2) Mix A thoroughly in a bowl. Cut the green onions and Chinese chives into 3cm pieces and add them to the same bowl.

(3) Prepare a pot of boiling water and boil the gizzards for about 3 minutes. Drain them in a colander and add them to (2) while they are still hot, and mix well.

(4) Place in a bowl and, just before serving, drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with white sesame seeds.

It's delicious when it's freshly made, but I also recommend letting it sit for a while before eating it. I like to leave it for a day before eating it.
Korean chives tend to be thinner and shorter than Japanese ones (which are very tasty!). Recently, you can find similar thin chives in the produce section and at roadside stations, so if you come across them, please try them. This time I used both green onions and chives, but you can use either one.

How to cook delicious new rice: "First, cook it with normal amount of water."

As I listened to the rice master explain about rice, I discovered that there were many varieties of Fukuoka rice that I had never heard of, and I wanted to try them all. This time, I tried cooking the latest rice from Itoshima, the chewy and delicious "Milky Queen."

Image: Ayumi Chuganji

Have you ever heard that new rice has a lot of moisture, so it's best to cook it with a little less water?

According to a rice master, he recommends first cooking the rice with normal amount of water, checking how it is, and then the next time you cook it, adding more water to your liking.

That's true. Depending on the household, some people prefer their bread a little harder, while others prefer it a little softer.

The rice is so delicious that you may end up eating too much, but let's enjoy this precious autumn gift! (Text by Chuganji Ayumi)
*This article contains information current at the time of publication.

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