Rice with chicken and mushrooms
Instructions:
- 500 g (1 lb) short-grain rice;
- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms;
- 4 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce (shoyu);
- 4 tablespoons mirin or dry sherry;
- 2 tablespoons sugar;
- 500 g (1 lb) chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced;
- 2 eggs, beaten;
- a pinch of salt;
- 1 cup cooked green peas.
- Wash the rice and allow it to drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
- Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl, pour boiling water over and leave to soak for 30 minutes or until soft. Save the soaking water, as it retains a lot of flavour and will be used in cooking. Cut off and discard the mushroom stems. Put the caps in a small pan with 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) of the soaking water, 2 tablespoons each of the shoyu and mirin, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer until the liquid is almost completely evaporated. Lift out the mushrooms and allow to cool.
- In the same pan combine the remaining shoyu, mirin and sugar, and chicken. Bring to the boil, turn the heat to very low, cover the pan and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave covered.
- Cook the rice in a rice cooker with 750 ml (24 fl oz/3 cups) water. Or put the rice into a heavy saucepan with a well-fitting lid, add 750 ml (24 fl oz/3 cups) water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat as low as possible, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring.
- Beat the eggs with salt and use a lightly greased non-stick frying pan to make 2-3 large, flat omelettes. Take care not to brown. Turn each onto a flat plate as they are done. Cut into narrow strips.
- When the rice is cooked, spoon into a large casserole or, if you have it, a Japanese domburi -a decorative earthenware bowl with lid. Spread the chicken over the rice, and spoon the cooking liquid over. Slice the mushrooms and place over the chicken, then decorate the dish with egg strips and the cooked peas. Serve hot.