Gomoku Gohan (Five-Ingredient Rice)

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
• 100 g Boneless, skinless chicken thigh
• 4 large Dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 medium Carrot
• 1/4 root Burdock root (gobo)
• 50 g Konnyaku (konjac jelly)
• 2 cups Dashi stock
• 2 tablespoons Soy sauce(Adjust to taste)
• 2 tablespoons Sake (Japanese rice wine)(Optional, but recommended for flavor)
• 1 tablespoon Mirin (sweet rice wine)(Optional, for added sweetness and gloss)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare all ingredients: Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain well. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water, then remove the tough stems and thinly slice the caps. Peel and dice the carrot. Scrub and julienne the burdock root, then soak it in cold water for 5 minutes to prevent browning, and drain. Rinse the konnyaku, blanch it in boiling water for 1 minute, drain, and cut into small pieces. Strain the shiitake soaking liquid and add it to the dashi stock to reach the required liquid volume.

   ⏱️ 20 minutes
2. 2

   In the inner pot of your rice cooker, combine the rinsed and drained rice, dashi stock (including strained shiitake liquid), soy sauce, sake, and mirin (if using). Stir gently to combine.

   ⏱️ 5 minutes
3. 3

   Arrange the prepared ingredients (chicken, sliced shiitake, carrot, burdock root, and konnyaku) evenly over the top of the rice and liquid mixture. Do not stir them into the rice.

   ⏱️ 2 minutes
4. 4

   Close the rice cooker lid and select the standard cooking cycle (usually 'white rice' or 'plain'). Cook according to your rice cooker's instructions. The cooking time will typically be around 30 minutes, followed by a resting period.

   ⏱️ 30 minutes
5. 5

   Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the rice cooker rest for 10-15 minutes without opening the lid. This allows the rice to steam fully and the flavors to meld. Then, gently fluff the rice with a rice paddle or spatula, distributing the toppings evenly throughout the pot. Be careful not to mash the rice.

   ⏱️ 10-15 minutes
6. 6

   Serve hot, garnished with thinly sliced scallions or toasted sesame seeds if desired.

   ⏱️ 1 minute

💡 Pro Tips

• ✓Gomoku means 'five items' in Japanese, referring to the main ingredients beyond rice and seasoning.
• ✓Do not stir the ingredients into the rice before cooking; layering them on top ensures they cook properly and don't make the rice mushy.
• ✓Feel free to add other seasonal vegetables like edamame, snap peas, or thinly sliced lotus root.
• ✓For a richer flavor, you can use chicken broth instead of dashi.

🔄 Variations

• Add cooked shrimp or scallops for a seafood version.
• Include cooked and halved chestnuts for a festive autumn or winter variation.
• Incorporate thinly sliced aburaage (fried tofu pouches) for added umami.

🥗 Nutrition

Per serving