At breakfast, he will be there. At the school snack, he will be there. When you want to eat something different at home, he will also be there. How present is rice in the lives of Japanese people? In this article, we will talk exactly about Japanese rice gohan (ご飯), that rice that is fluffy and whole but sticky at the same time. That succulent rice cultivated straight from the rice fields in Japan.
Table of Content
History and facts about Japanese rice
Rice has been cultivated in Japan for over 3,000 years. To grow it, you need cool weather and enriched soil.
As most of the Japanese territory is made up of mountains and steep terrain, the Japanese grow rice in Tanadas (棚田), which are terraces made on Japanese slopes by hand. Just like the place, its cultivation is traditional and mostly done by elderly labor, as the younger Japanese are focused on urban life.
Rice in the Kamakura Period (12th century) was once used as currency.
Rice is used on special occasions as well as offerings to gods and deceased loved ones. Some Japanese believe that there are gods inside every grain of rice. There is a god of rice, called Inari, who is also the god of foxes and fertilization.
Types of Japanese Rice
In Japan, there are two main qualities of rice most commonly used. Uruchimai (粳米), known as Japanese Rice, is the most used. Its grain is translucent and short. After cooking, it becomes sticky, making it easier to pick up with hashis.
The mochigome (もち米), known as Glutinous Rice, is short and opaque. After being cooked, it becomes even stickier, gumier, and firmer. This is used to make mochi, or recipes that need more binding, like sekihan. The mochigome is so sticky that experts found it in the composition of the cement used to build the Great Wall of China! Of course, there are many other types of rice used in Japan that we will not mention in this article.
japanese rice recipe
This is the Japanese rice recipe used to eat plain in a bowl or make Onigiri. It's a very free recipe, you determine how much you will use. Just remember to always use double the amount of water for the amount of rice.
Ingredients
- Japanese rice - 500g
- Water- 1 liter;
How to make:
- 1. Wash the rice, gently running your hand through the grains to avoid breaking them.
- 2. Wash three times, or until the water runs as clear as possible. Drain;
- 3. Put in a bowl and add the water that will be used for cooking (in this preparation, 1 liter);
- 4. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if desired;
- Bring water and rice together to a saucepan. Important tip: the water should be 2 fingers above the rice. If the amount you are using is small, add more water. But if the water you added exceeds the 2 fingers, do not remove the water.
- 6. Start by placing the pan without a lid on high heat until it starts to boil;
- 7. Lower the heat, place a dish towel and the lid;
- 8. Cook for at least 5 minutes and keep an eye on your rice. The cooking time depends on how long you soaked it in water. The longer it was soaked, the shorter the cooking time.
- Turn off the heat. Wait 10 minutes and transfer to a container. Be gentle with the rice, it breaks easily.
Ready! Now just enjoy! What did you think of the post? Do you like Gohan? Do you have a follow-up suggestion? Would you like to see what kind of recipes here on the site?