Kinoko Gohan

Kinoko Gohan is a kind of Takikomi Gohan, seasoned steamed rice with meat and vegetables. For Kinoko Gohan we use mushrooms (kinoko). The umami savoury taste and aroma from mushrooms are absorbed into the rice while it cooks, which makes the dish pretty amazing.

There are a lot of different foods that are in season in the fall in Japan. Fish like saury pike (sanma), chestnuts, eggplants and fruits like pears and persimmons. Japanese people enjoy the tastes of autumn so much, and mushrooms are one of the favourites.

There are a lot of mushrooms in Japan, but popular ones are shiitake, shimeji, and enoki. There are other varieties too, but they may be hard to get at local markets outside Japan. Today you can find mushrooms that are cultivated all year round, and you may not have to wait to make mushroom dishes until fall. However, it’s still the best and most authentic to eat seasonal foods in the proper seasons to get the best food experience!

The authentic recipe for this dish is made with shiitake and shimeji, but you can use regular mushroom mixes as well. I know Shiitake can be pretty expensive, especially in the Netherlands. Shimeji can’t always be found in a normal supermarket. If they are available, it will usually be in the Albert Heijn or maybe at a vegetable market?

The meat part can vary as well. You can use chicken, beef, fried tofu (aburaage) or even shrimp. This dish is easy to make and uses simple ingredients. The best thing I like about this dish is that I can make it in my rice cooker! .

Make this for your dinner in fall, and you too can enjoy the taste of authentic Japan in its autumn season!

Here’s what you need:

• 1 package of Shimeji mushrooms (I used mushrooms called “chestnut mushrooms” here in the Netherlands). They are called like this because they have the colour of a chestnut, and they have a deep nutty/earthy flavour.
• 5 Shiitake mushrooms (I used regular white mushrooms)
• 2 cups rice (180 ml per cup)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Sake
• 2 Tbsp Mirin
• water
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 4 small sized chiken thigh’s cut into bite sized pieces(optional)

Here’s what you have to do:

Separate the Shimeji mushrooms into pieces. Slice shiitake thinly. (Or if you use the mushroom mix I used, just cut them into thin slices.).

Wash rice and put it in the rice cooker’s removable bowl. Add the salt, soy sauce, sake and mirin and stir. Add enough water to reach the line for 2 cups of rice and then add the mushrooms and the chicken thighs.

Cook like white rice (according to the rice cooker instructions). After the rice is done, mix in green onions.

You can endlessly vary this dish. You can leave out the fish and/or meat to keep it vegetarian. This dish would be perfect for a vegetarian meal. Or like me, you can add things like pre-boiled lotus root and even carrots. It’s all up to your tastes!

Home cooking can be as free and fun as you want it to be. Don’t be scared to try and experiment with flavours you like.

Be creative always!

Itadaikimasu!