KANSHA lesson 14 KINOKO GOHAN recipe

Rice with Mixed Mushrooms
(Kinoko Gohan)
茸ご飯
In this recipe, rice is cooked takikomi style, making use of a flavored liquid instead of water to cook the rice.
The flavored liquid is created by sautéing and briefly simmering a variety of fresh mushrooms that are then
added back to the pot after the rice has finished cooking. For a full-flavored, visually and texturally interesting
rice dish, use a combination of pine-scented matsutaké, pearly-gray shiméjitaké, trumpet-shaped éringi,
ruffled maitaké, black-capped shiitaké, and/or ivory-colored enokidaké mushrooms. You will need a total of 8
to 10 ounces fresh mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed as described in the glossary at the end of this sheet.
(Serves 4 to 6.)
2-inch piece of kombu (kelp), soaked in 2 and 1/3 cups water for at least 20 minutes and
up to several hours
2 tablespoons saké
2 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably usukuchi shōyu (light-colored soy sauce)
3 tablespoons mirin (syrupy rice wine)
8 to 10 ounces fresh mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed as described in the glossary at
the end of this sheet
1 and 1/2 cups rice
ao nori (sea herb); optional garnish
Cook the mushrooms; reserve broth:
Season the kelp stock with the saké, usukuchi shōyu (light-colored soy sauce), and
mirin (syrupy rice wine). Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add the trimmed
mushrooms, reducing the heat if necessary to maintain a steady simmer. Cook the
mushrooms for 2 to 2 and 1/2 minutes, and then strain them, pressing gently to extract
all cooking liquid. Reserve both the mushrooms and the liquid separately. Add water, if
necessary, to the seasoned mushroom liquid to measure a scant 1 and 2/3 cups in all.
Wash the rice:
Place 1 and 1/2 cups raw rice in a bowl with cold water to cover. Using swishing
motions, vigorously stir to remove surface starch. When the Japanese wash rice they
roll it between their hands and it sounds a bit like maraca. The water should be clear
after rinsing it. Traditionally the starchy rinse water, called togi-jiru, was saved and
used to parboil vegetables such as daikon radish, bamboo shoots or corn. If you wish
to do likewise, refrigerate the togi-jiru, covered, for up to 4 days. Drain the rice
completely when finished rinsing it.
© Copyright 2013. All rights reserved by Elizabeth Andoh.
(Adapted from KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions, by Elizabeth Andoh. Ten Speed Press)
1
Cook the rice in a rice cooker:
Place the drained rice in the bowl of a rice cooker. Add the mushroom liquid; be sure it
is completely cool (at room temperature) before pressing the switch on a
thermostatically controlled rice cooker (hot or very cold liquids will throw off the
accuracy of the thermostat). To ensure tender grains of cooked rice let the rice
self-steam for at least 10 minutes after the switch indicates active cooking in the
appliance is completed (some machines have a light that illuminates to alert you,
others use a jingle, some use both).
OR
Cook the rice, stovetop, in a pot:
Place the drained rice in a straight-sided, 3-quart pot that has a tight-fitting lid. Place
the pot over high heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until the liquid is bubbling. Lower the
heat and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until all the liquid has been
absorbed. You can hear the changes in the cooking stages: in an old-fashioned
Japanese rice-cooking jingle the first bubbling is referred to as choro choro while the
drying-off stage is described as ppa-pa. If you must peek inside to check the rice’s
progress, do so quickly, immediately replacing the lid to retain moisture and pressure.
Remove the pot from the stove and let the rice self-steam for at least 10 minutes (this
ensures tender grains of cooked rice).
Complete cooking; plate and serve:
When ready to serve, dip a shamoji or other flat, paddle-like spatula or spoon in cold
water and gently fluff the rice. Toss in the reserved mushrooms; use light cutting and
folding motions to distribute the mushrooms evenly throughout the rice. As you cut and
fold, you will notice a crusty layer of rice on the bottom of the pot. When it is time to
serve the rice, be sure that each portion includes some of this delicious okogé, literally
“the honorable burnt bits.”
Mound the mushroom-and-rice pilaf on a large platter, or pack it into a plastic container
for picnicking. Garnish with 1 teaspoon ao nori, a briny sea herb.
Serve the rice warm, or let it cool to room temperature and cover with a damp cloth and
clear plastic wrap if you wish to keep it for several hours before eating. No refrigeration is
necessary for up to 5 hours; in fact, if you do refrigerate the rice, you’ll need to zap it in a
microwave (20 seconds on high). Garnish only after reheating.
© Copyright 2013. All rights reserved by Elizabeth Andoh.
(Adapted from KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions, by Elizabeth Andoh. Ten Speed Press)
2
Varieties of Autumn Mushrooms:
Selecting, Storing & Prepping
STORAGE: Fresh mushrooms should be loosely wrapped, each variety separately, in
barely moistened paper towels or damp newspaper. Store in the vegetable bin of your
refrigerator; most varieties will keep well for 4 or 5 days. Clean and slice as close as
possible to cooking time to preserve aroma and texture.
松茸 しめじ エリンギ
matsutaké
pine mushroom
（Tricholoma matsutaké）
shiméji
oyster mushroom
(Pleurotus ostreatus)
éryngi
king trumpet mushroom
(Pleurotus eryngii)
Matsutaké (pine mushroom)
As their name suggests (matsu means “pine” and také means “fungi”), these mushrooms
grow in symbiotic bliss with red pine trees and boast an incredible woodsy aroma. They
must be foraged (to date, no one has successfully cultivated them) and command a high
price. The highest quality matsutaké come to market early in the autumn and can go for
hundreds of dollars per mushroom, especially the pale colored ones foraged near Kyoto
(Tamba is the best known area). Canadian, Korean and Pacific Northwest (Oregon, and
Washington) mushrooms are usually dark and command a slightly lower price. In
Japanese markets, matsutaké are typically packaged with sudachi or kabosu limes and
placed in a loosely woven bamboo basket lined with shida leaves (a fern-like forest plant)
to retain optimal moisture when packaging.
When buying, shape (ideally a phallic, stocky column with unopened cap) is more
important than size. The mushroom should have earth still clinging to its base. When
ready to cook, whittle away just enough to expose the white interior (like old-fashioned
pencil sharpening). A cinnamon-like aroma should be released. The column and cap
should be wiped with a soft cloth, paper towel, or brush to remove any sand or soil
clinging to the surface.
For most recipes, the mushroom will need to be cut in half so the cap and stem are
separated. Use your fingers to gently shred the stem; the irregular surface of these
pieces will preserve the crisp texture and yield greater flavor than knife-sliced pieces.
Similarly, shred the cap, beginning with the stem end.
© Copyright 2013. All rights reserved by Elizabeth Andoh.
(Adapted from KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions, by Elizabeth Andoh. Ten Speed Press)
3
For long-term storage of matsutaké, wipe, trim and slice to separate stem from cap (place
knife about 1/2 inch below the cap). Wrap the stem and cap pieces separately in foil,
crimping edges on each packet to keep air out. Place foil packets in a re-sealable plastic
bag, and freeze for up to 6 months. When ready to use, defrost in the refrigerator before
unwrapping. Use immediately to preserve as much of the original aroma and flavor as
possible.
Shiméji or buna shiméji (oyster mushrooms)
It is rare to see foraged hon shiméji in Japanese domestic markets: nearly all shiméji
mushrooms sold in Japan today are buna shiméji, an easy to cultivate varietal. Like other
cultivated fungi such as énokidaké, buna shiméji are grown in clusters in squat jars. At
market, the unattractive sponge-like material on which the mushrooms are grown is
hidden from view with opaque packaging. When ready to use, open the package, trim
away the moldy-looking section of the stems and, if necessary, rinse the caps briefly
under cold running water. Gently squeeze dry. With your hands, separate each
mushroom from the larger mass. If the shiméji caps are broader than 1/2 inch across, cut
these in half lengthwise.
Éringi (king trumpet mushroom)
Éringi mushrooms were first introduced in Japan in the early 1990’s. No doubt their rapid
rise in popularity was due to their resemblance (in appearance and texture) to (much)
more costly matsutaké. What aroma éringi can boast tends to be quite mild (barely
reminiscent of the earth) and the taste is devoid of the spicy, cinnamon bark overtones
that distinguish superior matsutaké. Éringi are perfect, however, for matching with more
distinctive seasonings such as sanshō pepper.
椎茸 えのき茸 舞茸
shiitaké
black oak mushroom
（Lentinula edodes）
énokidaké
slender, white-capped mushroom
(Flammulina velutipes)
maitaké
hen-of-the-woods
(Grifola frondosa)
Shiitaké
The calligraphy for shii is “oak tree” indicating that shiitaké mushrooms are cultivated
from spores on oak logs. Production is quite ancient in Japan; early records suggest the
3rd century AD. Current commercial crops are grown in two ways: under natural forest
conditions and in climate-controlled indoor facilities.
© Copyright 2013. All rights reserved by Elizabeth Andoh.
(Adapted from KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions, by Elizabeth Andoh. Ten Speed Press)
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Just before cooking, remove any dirt that might be clinging to the fresh mushrooms. Wipe
mushrooms with a damp cloth or mushroom brush. After trimming away any gritty
material clinging to the stems, twist and remove them (set aside to simmer and enrich
stock). Slice the caps, lengthwise, into narrow strips, or into 4 or 6 wedge-like pieces.
Énokidaké
If you’re using cultivated, ivory-colored, slender-stalked, small-capped énokidaké,
remove them from their plastic bag, rinse the heads under cold running water, and shake
them dry. Trim away the spongy (moldy-looking) bottom half. The remaining stalks can
be left as is, or cut into short lengths.
Maitaké
If you’re using beige-gray, ruffled maitaké (sometimes called "hen-of-the-woods" though
the name in Japanese is written with calligraphy for “dancing” and “fungi”) trim away any
moldy parts of the white stems and, with your hands, separate clusters, lengthwise into
thin strips (as though you were stringing string-cheese). The irregular surface that results
from hand-tearing mushrooms will make them more flavorful than knife-sliced ones.
Maitaké are extremely flavorful but tend to darken and “stain” the cooking broth that
results from cooking them.
青のり Ao Nori (sea herb flakes)
© Copyright 2013. All rights reserved by Elizabeth Andoh.
(Adapted from KANSHA: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan & Vegetarian Traditions, by Elizabeth Andoh. Ten Speed Press)
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