Chestnut Rice (Kuri Gohan)

• porsjoner: 6 servings
• aktiv tid: 1 hour
• total tid: 2 hours 35 minutes

Ingredienser

20–25 chestnuts (if your chestnuts are big, use fewer and cut them in half after peeling and soaking)

1⅞ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice (2.5 rice cooker cups; 450 ml) 2.5 450

⅓ cup sweet rice/glutinous rice (mochigome) (½ rice cooker cup; 90 ml; or use regular short-grain rice) ½ 90

2¼ cups water

1 Tbsp sake

½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

toasted black sesame seeds (optional)

Diamond Crystal kosher salt (optional)

Fremgangsmåte

Gather all the ingredients.

To Prepare the Chestnuts

Soak 20–25 chestnuts in warm water for at least 30 minutes. Some Japanese recipes use cold water, but I find warm water helps. To keep the chestnuts moist and fragrant, we typically do not boil or roast them before cooking with the rice.

Hold a chestnut in one hand and a pairing knife in the other. Carefully insert the corner of the knife under the bottom of the chestnut where the flat sides meet. Then, peel and remove the entire bottom. Tip: When the shell is tough and stubborn, place the chestnut on the cutting board, cut off the bottom, and then hold it to peel off the shell.

Next, peel off a strip of shell along the side toward the chestnut tip.

You should be able to peel off the outer shell with your fingers. Depending on the chestnut, the outer shell and inner skin may come off together, exposing the yellow flesh. The inner skin is the thin, papery brown layer that adheres to the nut itself.

To create a beautiful presentation, peel away a thin layer of the bumpy chestnut flesh using the pairing knife. It's best to create a few wide, large cuts like the facets of a diamond rather than many small cuts. Soak the peeled chestnuts in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes, changing the water a few times. Peel and soak the rest of the chestnuts.

This one still has the thin, papery inner skin is still attached. Thinly peel off the bumpy flesh and inner skin together.

Some chestnuts have folds and crevices where the outer shell is wedged. Use the edge of the knife to remove them. After soaking in a few changes of water, the chestnuts are a beautiful color. Tip: If your chestnuts are big, and cut them in half so that they cook evenly.

To Prepare the Ingredients

Put 1⅞ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice and ⅓ cup sweet rice/glutinous rice (mochigome) in a large bowl. Gently wash the rice with cold water and discard the cloudy water. Repeat this process about 3–4 times until the water becomes almost clear. Drain well.

Put the well-drained rice and 2¼ cups water in a heavy-bottomed pot; I used a Hario Gohangama donabe, but you can use a Dutch oven instead. Tip: You can also cook this in a rice cooker.

Add 1 Tbsp sake and ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt to the pot. Gently mix it all together, then level the rice.

Place the chestnuts on top in a single layer, with the rounded sides facing up. Cover and let it soak for 20 to 30 minutes.

To Cook the Chestnut Rice

Bring the rice to a boil over medium heat. Take a quick peek to see if the water is boiling (otherwise, do not open the lid). Once the water is boiling, turn the heat to low and cook covered for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the water is completely absorbed (take a quick peek). If there is still water left, close the lid and continue cooking for a little longer. If you're using the Gohangama, cook on medium-high heat until it starts to whistle, then cook for an additional 1 minute. Tip: If using a rice cooker, simply press Start and cook as usual.

Remove the pot from the heat. Keep the lid on and let the rice steam for 15–20 minutes. This steaming time is a crucial part of the cooking process, so please do not skip it.

To Fluff and Serve

Open the lid and set aside the best-looking chestnuts on a plate for serving.

To fluff the rice, insert a rice paddle vertically into the cooked rice. Turn over a scoop of rice from the bottom. Then, use a slicing motion to separate the grains and gently incorporate the chestnuts. Repeat until fluffed. Serve the rice and top with the reserved chestnuts. Optionally, sprinkle Diamond Crystal kosher salt and toasted black sesame seeds on top.

To Store

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to a month.

Næringsinnhold

• Kalorier: 391 kcal
• Totalt fett: 1 g
• Mettet fett: 1 g
• Umettet fett: 2 g
• Natrium: 227 mg
• Totalt karbohydrater: 86 g
• Kostfiber: 3 g
• Protein: 6 g