Japanese Mushroom Rice (Kinoko Gohan) Recipe
Kinoko Gohan, or Japanese mushroom rice, is a flavorful and comforting dish made by cooking sushi rice with shiitake and oyster mushrooms in a seasoned broth of soy sauce, mirin, and sake. This simple one-pot meal highlights the earthy umami flavors of the mushrooms and is perfect as a side or light main dish.
- Author: Mary
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Rice and Liquids
- ¾ cup sushi rice (can use other short grain rice)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin (rice wine)
- 1 tablespoon sake
Mushrooms
- 1 oz shiitake mushrooms (fresh)
- 1 ½ oz oyster mushrooms (or other Asian mushrooms)
Seasoning
- Rinse the rice: Thoroughly rinse the sushi rice under cold water to remove excess starch, which will help achieve a fluffy texture after cooking.
- Prepare the mushrooms: Trim the stems off the shiitake and oyster mushrooms, discarding any tough or woody parts. Slice the mushrooms thinly to ensure even cooking and flavor distribution.
- Combine ingredients: In a pan, add the rinsed rice, water, salt, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sliced mushrooms. Stir lightly to combine and spread the mushrooms evenly.
- Cook the rice: Cover the pan with a lid, bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, approximately 15 minutes.
- Rest and serve: Remove the pan from heat and let it sit covered for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Fluff the rice gently with a fork and serve warm.
Notes
- This dish can also be cooked in a rice cooker; adjust the liquid according to your rice cooker’s instructions. Add mushrooms on top after setting the liquid level.
- You can substitute oyster mushrooms with other Asian mushrooms such as enoki or maitake to vary the flavor profile.
- For a vegetarian version, ensure the soy sauce and mirin used are free of fish products.
- Adjust the salt and soy sauce quantities to taste, especially if using a low-sodium soy sauce.
Keywords: Japanese mushroom rice, kinoko gohan, shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, Japanese rice recipe, simple mushroom rice, umami rice dish