Bamboo shoot rice

 

[Ingredients for 4 people]

- 2.5 cups of rice

- 1/2 bamboo shoot (raw) (root end)

- 1/2 deep-fried tofu

- Dashi stock (as needed)

- Kinome (leaf greens) (as needed)

<Seasonings>

- 3 tablespoons of sake

- 1 tablespoon of mirin

- 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce

- 1/2 teaspoon of salt

[Preparation]

- How to boil unpeeled bamboo shoots: Bamboo shoots will become increasingly hard the longer they are dug, so boil them immediately after purchase.

- Fill a large pot with plenty of water, mix in 1/3 cup of bran, and add 1 red chili pepper, cut in half. Thoroughly wash 1 unpeeled bamboo shoot, cut off the tip diagonally, and make a vertical slit in the skin. Place in a pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 40 minutes.

- Try inserting a bamboo skewer into the base of the bamboo shoots; if it goes through easily, it's ready. If it's difficult to do so, boil for another 15 minutes and then insert the skewer again to check. (The longer bamboo shoots are dug up, the harder they become, so boil those that have been dug up for more than a day for at least an hour.)

- Allow them to cool naturally until they're cool enough to touch, rinse them thoroughly under running water, and peel the skin by peeling it along the vertical slit.

- Place the peeled skin with the inside facing up, and lightly cut it from the base with a knife to remove the soft skin, then place it in water.

- Store boiled bamboo shoots and skin in water in the refrigerator. Change the water daily.

- Wash the rice 30 minutes before cooking and drain in a colander.

- Cut the boiled bamboo shoots into thin slices.

- Pass the fried tofu through boiling water to remove the oil, then cut it in half lengthwise and slice into thin strips.

It would also be delicious if you added chicken, but this time I went for a simple flavor that just tastes of bamboo shoots.

[Recipe]

1. Place the rice and seasonings in a rice cooker and add dashi stock up to the appropriate mark. Finally, add the boiled bamboo shoots and fried tofu and cook as usual.

If using 2.5 cups of rice, add dashi stock up to the 2.5 cup mark.

2. Once cooked, let the rice steep for 10 minutes, then mix thoroughly and serve in a bowl, sprinkling with kinome (leaf greens).

Place the kinome in the palm of your hand and tap lightly, creating space between your hands as if tapping with air, to release a faint fragrance.