Takenoko Gohan

Ingredients

• 12⅓ ozricewashed, soaked and drained (about 2 to 2½ gō)
• 4⅔ ozbamboo shootspre-boiled or canned; cut into small strips, slices or cubes
• 1Fried tofu pouchcut into thin strips or small dice
• 2½ ozcarrotcut into fine julienne
• 1⅔ cupswatercooking liquid, fill up to the mark for the amount of rice
• 1⅔ cupsdashiinstead of water as cooking liquid; instant dashi is fine (optional)
• 2 tbspsoy saucelight soy sauce (usukuchi) also works
• 1½ tbspmirinto season the cooking liquid
• 1½ tbspsakecooking sake
• ½ tspsalt
• kinome (young sansho leaves)finely chopped for garnish, if available (optional)
• rice branonly for boiling fresh bamboo shoots; rice-washing water as alternative (optional)

Method

1. Parboil the fresh bamboo shootIf you have a fresh bamboo shoot, cut off the tip at an angle and score the skin lengthwise. Boil the shoot in plenty of water with a handful of rice bran or some rice-washing water for about 1 hour, until a wooden skewer slides in easily. Let it cool in the cooking liquid, then peel it and rinse it well.
2. Drain pre-cooked shootsIf you're using pre-boiled or canned bamboo shoots, simply drain them well.
3. Wash and soak the riceWash the rice until the water runs almost clear, soak it for 30 to 60 minutes, then drain it well.
4. Cut up the toppingsCut the bamboo shoots into small strips, slices or cubes. The tender tips are best cut lengthwise, the firmer base crosswise. Cut the abura-age into thin strips or small dice and the carrot into fine julienne.
5. Season the rice and add liquidPut the rice in a pot or rice cooker and add the soy sauce, mirin, sake and salt. Top up with water or dashi to the mark for your amount of rice.
6. Layer the toppings and cookSpread the bamboo shoots, abura-age and carrot evenly over the top without stirring them in, so the rice cooks evenly. Then cook the rice as you normally would.
7. Rest and fluff the riceOnce it's done, leave the rice to steam with the lid on for 5 to 10 minutes. Then fluff it gently with a rice paddle so the vegetables and tofu are spread through.
8. Serve with kinomeSpoon the Takenoko Gohan into bowls and scatter finely chopped kinome over the top if you can get hold of some.

Tips and variations

For more flavour in the add-ins, marinate the bamboo shoots, abura-age and carrot for 10 minutes in soy sauce, sugar and sake first. Or fry them briefly in oil, let them simmer in the seasoning for 1 to 2 minutes, and tip them onto the rice along with their liquid. If you'd rather keep it simple, season with shiro dashi alone or use a ready-made seasoning mix with add-ins. No rice cooker? It works in the microwave too: 6 minutes at 600 W, stir, then 15 minutes at 200 W and 10 minutes to rest. To serve, a little fresh kinome rounds off this spring rice nicely, but it's still good without.