Takikomi gohan – rice cooked with vegetables and chicken Recipe
Takikomi gohan is rice cooked together with vegetables, chicken, and seasonings, so every grain is full of flavor. In Japan, dishes like this are often prepared in autumn, when seasonal vegetables and mushrooms appear. It’s something between a pilaf and a one-pot risotto, but without stirring – all the magic happens in the pot or rice cooker.
The rice absorbs the flavors of dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and vegetables, so every grain is aromatic and rich. Everything cooks together in one pot, making the dish simple yet deeply comforting and perfect for using seasonal ingredients.
Chef's tips
Use Japanese short-grain rice if possible – it gives the best texture for takikomi gohan. Don’t be tempted to lift the lid while cooking; the trapped steam is crucial for evenly cooked, fluffy rice. If you’re using a rice cooker, follow the same steps but use the mixed liquid instead of plain water up to the usual fill line.
How to serve
Serve with a simple miso soup and pickles for a complete Japanese-style meal. It also pairs well with grilled mackerel, teriyaki chicken, or a fresh cucumber salad with rice vinegar. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds or add a little shredded nori on top for extra aroma.
Ingredients
- rice - 300 g
- chicken thigh - 250 g
- carrot - 1 piece
- mushrooms - 4 piece
- konjac - 80 g
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
- mirin - 2 tablespoons
- dashi stock - 400 ml
- oil - 1 tablespoon
- salt - 0.5 teaspoons
- spring onion - 2 piece
Preparation
- Rinse the rice in cold water several times until the water is less cloudy. Cover with clean water and leave for 20 minutes so the grains can hydrate, then drain in a sieve.
- If you’re using dried shiitake mushrooms, cover them with hot water for 20 minutes until they soften, then slice thinly. Simply slice fresh mushrooms.
- Peel the carrot and cut it into thin matchsticks. Rinse the konjac under running water and cut into small pieces or short strands if you’re using noodles.
- Cut the chicken thigh meat into small bite-sized pieces. Finely slice the spring onion, setting the green part aside for garnish.
- In a bowl, mix the dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, and salt.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and fry for 3–4 minutes, until it’s no longer raw on the outside. Add the carrot, mushrooms, and konjac and fry for another 2–3 minutes, stirring.
- Add the drained rice to the pot and gently level the surface, but don’t mix it too vigorously with the other ingredients.
- Pour in the prepared stock mixture so that it covers the rice and add-ins. If there isn’t enough liquid, add a little water – the level should be about 1 cm above the rice.
- Bring everything to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for another 10 minutes so the rice can finish steaming and absorb the remaining liquid.
- After this time, gently fluff the rice from the bottom with a wide spoon, lifting the ingredients up so they’re evenly distributed.
- Serve the hot rice in bowls, sprinkled with the green part of the spring onion.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This dish brings the cozy feeling of Japanese home cooking to the table with minimal effort. Once you try cooking rice together with its toppings, it’s hard to go back to plain white rice on the side.
