Japanese Seasoned Steamed Rice (Takikomi Gohan)

Posted February 15th, 2011 in Food No Comments »

This is what we call Takikomi Gohan, meaning that the rice is cooked in dashi broth and soy sauce along with other ingredients such as mushroom, chicken and root vegetables.  The variety is endless, and you can add any ingredients you like – seafood, beans, sweet potato, shellfish, etc.

The very standard ingredients for takikomi gohan are chicken thigh, carrot, shiiitake mushroom, konnyaku and abura-age (fried bean-curd).  I like adding roots vegetables such as burdock roots for the texture.

When cooking takikomi gohan, you will get dark-colored rice left in the bottom of the rice cooker.  This part is called “okoge” meaning “burned rice”, and is considered to be the best part to eat!

<Takikomi Gohan> serves 5~8

  • 3 cups rice (short or medium grain)
  • 100g chicken
  • 1 tsp dashi powder
  • 3~4 shiitake mushrooms (5~6 if using frozen shiitake mushrooms)
  • 100g burdock roots, shredded (frozen)
  • 1 carrot
  • 2 sticks of chikuwa fish cake (optional)
  • 3 tbs soy sauce
  • 3 tbs sake (cooking wine)
  • 3 cm ginger
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  1. Cut chicken into small pieces.  Peel and slice the carrot.  Slice chikuwa into 5mm thick.  Slice shiitake into 2 mm thick.
  2. Place 2 cups of water, dashi powder, soy sauce, sake, chicken, carrot and burdock roots in a sauce pan.  Bring to the boil, and add chikuwa.  Place a lid, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Cool slightly.
  3. Wash rice until the running water is almost clear.
  4. Place the rice in the rice cooker along with 1.5~2 cups of dashi soup from the sauce pan (#1 above).  Add extra 3.5 cups of water.  Level the surface of rice, and spread the chicken ingredients on top.  Level the surface.
  5. Slice ginger, and place on top of the rice ingredients in the rice cooker.  Turn on the cooker.
  6. Once cooked, enjoy with fresh made miso soup !
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I can just eat it every day!  I miss my grand-ma’s simple takikomi-gohan with just shiitake and carrots.



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