Grilled Rice Ball in Dashi Broth
Japanese grilled rice balls seasoned with a homemade teriyaki-style soy, sake and sugar sauce, served in a light dashi broth with seven-spice and scallions.
Ingredients
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | shoyu (soy sauce) |
| 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp | sake | |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | sugar |
| 3/4 cup | 180 ml | polished short- or medium-grain rice |
| 2 3/4 cups | 660 ml | water |
| 1 packet | Kayanoya Original Dashi Stock Powder | |
| — | shichimi-togarashi (seven spice) powder, to garnish | |
| — | scallion greens, thinly sliced, to garnish |
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine the shoyu, sake and sugar over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.
- When it reaches a gentle simmer, turn the heat very low for about 18 minutes; the liquid will reduce to about 6 tablespoons.
- Rinse the rice several times, changing the water each time. Drain, transfer to a pot, add 3/4 cup water and let stand 20 minutes.
- Cover with a tight lid and cook over medium heat; after 2-3 minutes it should reach a full boil. Lower to low/medium and cook about 6 minutes.
- Remove the lid to confirm the water is absorbed, then cook covered over very low heat 8 minutes and turn off.
- In a small pot, add the remaining 2 cups water and the dashi powder packet. Simmer over medium heat 2 minutes, then remove and discard the packet.
- Transfer the cooked rice to a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of the prepared soy-sake-sugar sauce and mix with a spatula. (Store the remaining sauce up to 2 weeks refrigerated; use as a teriyaki-style sauce for chicken, seafood, pork or beef.)
- Shape the rice into balls. Coat a non-stick skillet with a thin layer of oil over medium heat; when hot, lower the heat and add the rice balls, large surface down. Cook until light-gold and crisp, then turn and cook the other side.
- Place each rice ball in a bowl, pour in 1/2 cup dashi stock, and garnish with seven-spice seasoning and scallion slices. Serve hot. (The remaining dashi can be used as a base for miso soup.)