📝 About This Recipe
A seasonal Japanese classic, Sansai Gohan captures the earthy soul of the Japanese countryside with its delicate balance of umami and forest-fresh flavors. This 'takikomi gohan' style dish features a medley of preserved mountain vegetables like bracken and fiddlehead ferns, simmered directly with short-grain rice in a light dashi broth. It is a comforting, aromatic meal that celebrates the ancient forage-to-table traditions of rural Japan.
🥗 Ingredients
The Rice Base
- 2 cups Short-grain Japanese rice (such as Koshikari or Sasanishiki)
- 400 ml Kombu Dashi (high-quality kelp stock)
Mountain Vegetables and Proteins
- 150 grams Sansai (Mountain Vegetable Mix) (typically contains warabi, zenmai, and bamboo shoots; drained and rinsed)
- 1 piece Abura-age (Deep-fried Tofu Pouch) (oil-blanched and sliced into thin strips)
- 1/3 cup Carrot (peeled and cut into fine matchsticks)
- 3-4 pieces Dried Shiitake Mushrooms (reconstituted and thinly sliced)
Seasoning Liquid
- 2 tablespoons Japanese Soy Sauce (use light soy sauce/usukuchi if available for better color)
- 1 tablespoon Mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1 tablespoon Sake (Japanese cooking sake)
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt (fine sea salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon Sugar (to balance the saltiness)
For Garnish
- 1/4 cup Mitsuba (Japanese Wild Parsley) (roughly chopped; can substitute with scallions)
- 1 teaspoon Toasted White Sesame Seeds
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Place the short-grain rice in a large bowl and rinse with cold water, swirling with your hand. Drain and repeat 3-4 times until the water runs mostly clear. Drain the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and let it sit for 30 minutes to ensure even hydration.
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2
If using jarred or canned Sansai mix, drain the liquid and rinse the vegetables thoroughly under cold water to remove any preservative bitterness. Pat dry with a paper towel.
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3
Prepare the Abura-age by placing it in a colander and pouring boiling water over both sides. This removes excess surface oil. Squeeze out the moisture and slice the pouch into thin strips about 1 inch long.
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4
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dashi, soy sauce, sake, mirin, salt, and sugar until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
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5
Place the drained rice into your rice cooker inner pot or a heavy-bottomed pot (like a Dutch oven or Donabe).
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6
Pour the prepared seasoning liquid over the rice. If using a rice cooker, ensure the liquid reaches the '2-cup' line; if not, add a splash more dashi.
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7
Evenly spread the sliced shiitake, carrots, abura-age, and the sansai mix over the top of the rice. Crucially, do NOT stir the ingredients into the rice; they must sit on top to ensure the rice cooks evenly.
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8
If using a rice cooker, start the 'Mixed Rice' or 'Regular' cycle. If using a stovetop, cover with a tight-fitting lid, bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes.
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9
Once the cooking cycle is finished or the water is absorbed, turn off the heat. Let the pot sit, covered, for an additional 10-15 minutes. This steaming phase is vital for the perfect rice texture.
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10
Open the lid and use a rice paddle (shamoji) to gently fold the vegetables into the rice using a cutting motion to avoid mashing the grains.
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11
Scoop the rice into individual bowls, ensuring a generous distribution of the mountain vegetables in each serving.
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12
Garnish with fresh mitsuba and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately while steaming hot.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use short-grain Japanese rice; long-grain varieties will not provide the necessary 'mochi-mochi' (chewy) texture for this dish. For the best flavor, make your dashi from scratch using kombu and katsuobushi rather than using instant powder. If you are using a stovetop pot, look for the 'okage'—the slightly burnt, crispy rice at the bottom—which is considered a delicacy in Japan. If you find fresh mountain vegetables, they must be parboiled with wood ash or baking soda first to remove harsh tannins before adding to the rice. Don't over-season; the beauty of Sansai Gohan is the subtle, earthy flavor of the vegetables themselves.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of hot Miso soup with wakame and silken tofu. Pair with Saba Shioyaki (salted grilled mackerel) for a complete, traditional Japanese meal. Accompany with a small dish of Tsukemono (Japanese pickles) like takuan or pickled ginger to cleanse the palate. Serve with a cup of hot Genmaicha (brown rice green tea) to complement the nutty, toasted notes of the dish. A light side of Chawanmushi (savory egg custard) adds a silky contrast to the textured rice.