Sansai Gohan (Rice with Mountain Vegetables)

Instructions

1. Before You Start…Please note that this recipe requires 20 minutes of soaking rice time. Gather all the ingredients.
2. To make kombu dashi - Add kombu in 2½ cups water. Let the kombu steep in water until ready to use.
3. Rinse rice and soak in water for 20 minutes. If you're using short grain rice, ALWAYS soak the rice before you cook. Then drain the excess water well, making sure there is NO MOISTURE left in the rice. We do not want to dilute the seasonings.
4. To remove the oil from aburaage, you can either pour boiling water over the tofu pouch in a sieve over the sink, or have a quick blanch over the boiling water in a small pot for 15 seconds (flipping 1-2 times).
5. Cut the aburaage thinly.
6. Drain the sansai mizuni in a sieve and quickly rinse with running water.
7. In a rice cooker bowl, add the rice and seasonings (3 Tbsp soy sauce (usukuchi or GF), 2 Tbsp sake, 2½ Tbsp mirin, and ½ tsp salt).
8. Then add in kombu dashi (remove kombu first) and mix well.
9. Add the sansai mix and aburaage on top. Place in the rice cooker and start cooking. If you have a “Mixed Rice” option, use it (See Notes below).
10. Once the rice is cooked, using a rice scooper, fluff the rice and combine well with ingredients. Serve in a rice bowl and enjoy!
11. You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month.