Autumn Chestnut Rice
Typhoons and red dragonflies are harbingers of
Japanese autumn. So are burnished red maple
leaves and shinmai, the first rice of the season.
Celebrate the majesty of fall and serve this
bountiful rice dish, with chestnuts, sweet
potatoes and shiitake mushrooms.
Ingredients:
2 medium-size dried shiitake mushrooms
2 cups rinsed short- or medium-grain rice,
preferably shinmai
2-1/3 cups water (use 3 tablespoons less water if
using shinmai)
1 (7-oz.) jar chestnuts in heavy syrup, drained
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu)
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Radish sprouts (kaiwari daikon) (optional)
Directions:
Soak mushrooms in a bowl of warm water 30 minutes.
Squeeze dry; cut off stems. Dice mushrooms. In a
3-quart saucepan, combine rinsed rice and water;
soak 15 minutes. Rinse chestnuts to remove syrup.
Drain well; cut into quarters. Add mushrooms,
chestnuts, sweet potatoes, salt, soy sauce and
mirin to saucepan with rice; stir. Bring to a
boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover saucepan with a
tight-fitting lid. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove from
heat.
Let stand, covered and undisturbed, 10 minutes.
Carefully break up rice mixture with a dampened
wooden rice paddle or spatula. Spoon rice mixture
into serving bowls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds
and radish sprouts.
AUTUMN VEGETABLE PILAF
In pilaf, a traditional dish, the rice is first
sauteed in butter or oil with onion, then broth
is added and the rice is cooked until tender.
Here we combine black, purple and white rice
for a stunning mahogany-colored pilaf.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 50 to 53 minutes
Easy
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 cups assorted rice (long- or short-grain
brown, brown basmati, black,
purple Thai, red such as Wehani or
Bhutanese red)
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) chicken broth,
plus enough water to equal
4 3/4 cups
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup aromatic long-grain white rice
Vegetables:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 cups diced zucchini
2 cups cubed plum tomatoes
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-low
heat. Add onion and red pepper and cook, stirring,
until onion is golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in
garlic and cook 1 minute more.
2. Stir in the 1 1/2 cups assorted rice until the
grains are coated with the vegetables. Add broth
and salt and bring to a boil; stir once. Reduce
heat to medium low; cover pan tightly with foil,
then lid. Cook rice 35 minutes. (Do not uncover
or stir rice.)
3. Uncover pot (there should be a shallow layer
of barely simmering liquid on top of the rice;
if not, add 1/4 cup water). Sprinkle the 1/2 cup
white rice evenly over partially cooked rice;
gently stir once just to combine rices. Cover
and cook 15 to 18 minutes, until rice is tender
and the liquid is absorbed. (If all the liquid
has not absorbed, uncover pot, reduce heat to
low and let stand 5 minutes. Do not stir.)
4. Make vegetables: Meanwhile, heat oil and
garlic in large skillet over medium heat just
until garlic sizzles, about 30 seconds. Add
zucchini and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add
tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Add corn and basil
and cook, stirring, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in
salt and pepper.
5. Spoon rice (do not stir) into shallow serving
bowls; spoon vegetable mixture over each serving.
Makes 11 cups.
