Description
Kuri Gohan is a traditional Japanese chestnut rice dish featuring tender chestnuts cooked with short grain and glutinous rice, seasoned with sake and salt, and garnished with black sesame seeds. This comforting and flavorful rice dish highlights the natural sweetness of chestnuts combined with the savory hints of sake, making it a perfect seasonal autumn treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Chestnuts
- 500 g chestnuts
Rice Mixture
- 1 3/4 cups short grain rice
- 1/4 cup glutinous rice (sweet rice)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sake
Garnish
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Chestnuts: Using kitchen scissors, carefully remove the outer hard shell of the chestnuts while keeping the astringent skin intact to protect the nut during cooking.
- Boil the Chestnuts: Place the chestnuts in a saucepan or pot and pour enough water to cover them. Heat the pot over high heat until the water comes to a boil.
- Simmer Chestnuts: Reduce the heat to low or medium and simmer the chestnuts for about 20 minutes to soften them thoroughly.
- Cool and Peel: Drain the hot water and replace it with cold water so you can handle the chestnuts comfortably without drying them out. Carefully remove the astringent skin from the chestnuts by hand and set them aside.
- Wash Rice and Glutinous Wheat: Rinse the short grain rice and glutinous rice 3 to 4 times until the rinsing water becomes clear to remove excess starch, then drain completely.
- Combine and Cook: Transfer the washed rice and glutinous rice to a rice cooker. Add 2 cups of water, the salt, and sake, then place the peeled chestnuts evenly on top of the rice.
- Cook the Rice: Close the rice cooker lid and cook the mixture according to the rice cooker’s instructions.
- Finish and Serve: Once cooked, gently stir the rice and chestnuts without breaking the chestnuts’ shape. Serve warm in individual rice bowls and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
Notes
- Using a rice cooker is essential for consistent cooking results and perfect texture.
- Handle chestnuts carefully after boiling to avoid breaking the nuts while peeling.
- Adjust the amount of water slightly depending on your rice cooker and rice brand for optimal texture.
- Black sesame seeds add a nutty aroma and a pleasant crunch but can be omitted if unavailable.
- For a stronger sake flavor, a bit more sake can be added, but do so lightly to maintain balance.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Rice Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
Keywords: Kuri Gohan, chestnut rice, Japanese rice dish, autumn recipe, chestnut recipe, rice cooker recipe
