ONE-POT MUSHROOM AND GINGER RICE

Inspired by Cantonese one-bowl rice dishes such as bo zai fan and sticky rice, this mushroom and ginger rice has clean yet robust flavors. The Chinese cooking technique of velveting — dusting protein in cornstarch to keep it tender and silky during cooking — is usually reserved for meat or seafood, but here the same method is used for the mushrooms, allowing them to stay juicy and plump as they cook in the rice. Crisping the rice at the bottom of the pot is optional, but if you choose to do it, stay close, listen to the sound of the sizzle, smell the aroma; if you detect any burning scents, take it off the heat immediately. At first, the rice will seem stuck to the pot, but it will release more easily once it has cooled. A dish like this would traditionally be cooked in a clay pot, so use that if you have one, but if not, a cast-iron Dutch oven will do the job. Total time: 40 minutes.

1 1⁄2 cups medium-grain white rice

2 cups vegetable stock, store-bought or homemade 10 ounces mushrooms, such as shiitake, cremini, button or

blue oysters (or a mix), halved or quartered

2 teaspoons cornstarch

6 to 7 teaspoons tamari soy sauce

2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (optional)

3 teaspoons sesame oil

Salt and white or black pepper

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Toasted white sesame seeds (optional)

Place the rice into a Dutch oven and rinse it 3 times until the water runs almost clear. Pour the stock over the rice and leave to soak for 10 minutes while you prepare the mushrooms.

Place the mushrooms into a bowl and add the cornstarch and toss to coat. Add 4 teaspoons of soy sauce, the 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (if using), 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of white or black pepper; toss to coat.

Place the pot with the rice over medium-high heat, add the ginger slices and bring to a boil. When bubbling, cover, reduce to low and cook for 5 minutes.

Uncover, add the mushrooms and, using chopsticks or a large spoon, stir the mushrooms through the rice. Cover again and cook on low until the mushrooms are cooked and rice is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove the lid, increase heat to medium-high and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until you can hear it sizzling aggressively, which indicates that the bottom of the rice is becoming crispy. (Skip this step if you don’t care for the crispy rice.)

Turn off heat and drizzle with 2 to 3 teaspoons of soy sauce, the remaining 2 teaspoons of sesame oil and top with scallions and sesame seeds (if using).

Yield: 4 servings.

By Hetty Lui McKinnon.