Pacific Saury Takikomi Gohan
さんまの炊き込みごはん【オカフーズ版】 · Sanma no Takikomi Gohan
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Takikomi gohan is Japanese rice cooked together with its toppings and seasonings, so every grain soaks up the flavor. Here the star is sanma, Pacific saury, the fish that signals autumn in Japan. Searing it straight from frozen before it goes into the rice cooker brings out its savory, toasty flavor, and the mild soy-sake-mirin seasoning keeps things gentle enough for little ones. This version is written for the frozen saury from Okafoods, the supplier we use in the preschool kitchen, but any frozen saury will work the same way.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 75 griceJapanese short-grain white rice (japonica), which cooks up soft and slightly sticky. The amount listed is for uncooked rice. Substitute: Sushi rice, or another short-grain or medium-grain rice such as Calrose.
- 12 gcarrot
- 30 gfrozen Pacific saury (sanma)A slender, oily fish that is an autumn favorite in Japan. Substitute: Mackerel, sardines, or herring.
- 3.5 gfrozen chopped green onions
Seasonings
- 1.5 gsakeSake (Japanese rice wine) is used in small amounts to soften the smell of fish and meat and add depth. Japanese "cooking sake" often contains added salt. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: The same amount of water (the taste will be a little simpler), or dry white wine.
- 1.5 gmirinMirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
- 2.4 gsoy sauce
- 0.5 gsalt
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- rice (米)
- Japanese short-grain white rice (japonica), which cooks up soft and slightly sticky. The amount listed is for uncooked rice. Substitute: Sushi rice, or another short-grain or medium-grain rice such as Calrose.
- frozen Pacific saury (sanma) (冷凍サンマ)
- A slender, oily fish that is an autumn favorite in Japan. Substitute: Mackerel, sardines, or herring.
- sake (酒)
- Sake (Japanese rice wine) is used in small amounts to soften the smell of fish and meat and add depth. Japanese "cooking sake" often contains added salt. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: The same amount of water (the taste will be a little simpler), or dry white wine.
- mirin (みりん)
- Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
Directions
- 1
Add the usual amount of water to the rice and let it soak for at least 30 minutes.
- 2
Cut the carrot into short, fine matchsticks.
- 3
Line a frying pan with nonstick frying-pan foil and turn on the heat. Once the pan is hot, arrange the saury in it straight from frozen.
- 4
Over medium heat, turn the saury as it cooks to brown both sides (about 3 minutes per side as a guide).
- 5
Add the seasonings (sake, mirin, soy sauce, salt) to the soaked rice and mix well, then layer the carrot, green onions and saury on top in that order and cook in the rice cooker.
- 6
Once the rice is done, flake the saury as you mix everything together.
Cooking Notes
For children aged 3 and up, 1 go (one 180 ml rice-cooker cup) of rice makes 3 servings, 2 go makes 6 servings, and 3 go makes 9 servings.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 355.5 kcal | 711 kcal | 355.5 kcal |
| Protein | 10.4 g | 20.7 g | 10.4 g |
| Fat | 8.4 g | 16.8 g | 8.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 65.3 g | 130.5 g | 65.3 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.9 g | 1.8 g | 0.9 g |
| Calcium | 18 mg | 36 mg | 18 mg |
| Iron | 1 mg | 2.1 mg | 1 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 355.5 kcal | 10.4 g | 8.4 g | 65.3 g | 0.9 g | 18 mg | 1 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 711 kcal | 20.7 g | 16.8 g | 130.5 g | 1.8 g | 36 mg | 2.1 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
Cooking for bigger kids? See the elementary-school portion of this recipe.
