Salmon & Ikura Donabe Rice
Serves 2
This recipe is adapted from chef Miyuki Hasegawa at Yuzuki Japanese Eatery in San Francisco, where they also serve donabe rice with seasonal ingredients like matusake mushrooms and King crab. Hasegawa uses small double-walled donabe pots made especially for rice, but you can use a larger one and double the recipe or try making this in a regular small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. 2⁄3 cup short- or medum-grain rice, preferably koshihikari 5 ounces dashi 1 tablespoon mirin 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
(usukuchi shoyu) 1 tablespoon sake 2 dried shiitake mushrooms,
softened and finely chopped ¼ teaspoon finely diced and
peeled fresh ginger 3 ounces salmon, sliced ¼-inch thick and into 2-by-4-inch pieces 1 ounce ikura (salmon roe) 3 sprigs mitsuba (a Japanese herb), leaves whole and stems chopped, or 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions: Place the rice in a sieve and rinse, then soak in enough water to coat for 30 minutes. Drain in a sieve again.
Place the rice in the pot with the dashi, mirin, soy, sake, shiitake and ginger. Top with the salmon pieces, slightly overlapping.
Place the pot over high temperature and cover. Bring to a boil then turn to low heat so that you can still see some steam escape, and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and steam, covered, for another 13 minutes. Garnish the rice with the ikura and mitsuba and serve.