Kuri gohan, chestnut rice

75 min · 2 servings · 366 kcal

Haruka Mori · @mori.haruka

Chestnut rice is what Japan is searching for this month. It is the taste of October here. Rice, chestnuts, a piece of kombu, salt. One go of rice makes two bowls: one now, one for tomorrow. Peeling the chestnuts is the only real work.

Ingredients

• short-grain rice150 g
• fresh chestnuts8 pc
• water180 ml
• sake1 tbsp
• salt0.5 tsp
• kombu, 5 cm piece1 pc
• black sesame seeds1 tsp

Instructions

1. Soak the chestnuts in hot water for 30 minutes. The shells soften.
2. Cut off the flat base of each chestnut. Peel the hard shell, then the brown inner skin, with a small knife. Keep them in cold water as you go.
3. Wash the rice until the water runs almost clear. Drain for 15 minutes.
4. Put the rice, water, sake and salt in a small heavy pot. Lay the kombu and the chestnuts on top. Do not stir.
5. Bring to a boil with the lid on. Turn to the lowest heat and cook 13 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave 10 minutes, lid on.
6. Lift out the kombu. Fold the rice gently from the bottom, so the chestnuts stay whole. Sprinkle with black sesame.

Per serving