Tim says: “This is a variation of takikomi gohan that uses common fried rice ingredients to create something that is kinda-sorta like fried rice, but not fried. Let me be clear: this isn’t really a replacement for fried rice, but it does the job if you’re not in the mood to wash up two pans.”

Serves 3–4

Ingredients

100ml just-boiled water
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
300g rice
1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1 small or ½ medium carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 baby leek, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1cm fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
20g bamboo shoots, finely chopped (optional)
80g raw shelled prawns, roughly chopped
60g pork or chicken, finely sliced
2 eggs

Method

Pour the just-boiled water over the mushrooms and leave to rehydrate for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Wash the rice and place it in a rice cooker or saucepan along with the chicken stock powder, sesame oil and salt.

Squeeze the mushrooms dry and combine the liquid with the mirin, soy sauce and sake. Add enough water to make a total of 390g. Pour this over the rice, then scatter the vegetables over the top, followed by the prawns and meat.

Crack the eggs into a bowl (to catch any errant bits of shell), then put these in the pan as well.

Cook according to the instructions on page 27. When the rice is finished cooking, break up the eggs and fold everything together.

Serve hot or at room temperature. It lasts five days in the refrigerator or one month in the freezer.

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