Matsutake Takikomi Gohan (松茸炊き込みご飯)
I added some chopped steamed bakchoy that I had on hand.
Some ingredients are so special that they stay with you long after you first taste them. For me, that moment was at the Michelin-starred Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic, where I fell in love with the earthy, piney perfume of matsutake mushrooms. Shortly after, my friend Jessica from Common Farms, who supplies the best restaurants in Hong Kong, passed me the same beautiful mushrooms from Yunnan, China - one of the world’s few regions where these rare mushrooms flourish.
Matsutake is prized in Japan as the crown jewel of autumn. Its aroma is unlike any other mushroom, and its fleeting season makes it even more treasured. Using them in takikomi gohan (seasoned mixed rice) is one of the simplest and most traditional ways to highlight their elegance.
Ingredients (serves 3-4)
2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
7-8 fresh matsutake mushrooms (from Yunnan or Japan, about 100–120g), cleaned, sliced
2 ½–2 ¾ dashi stock (kombu + bonito, or just kombu for milder flavor)
2 tbsp light soy sauce (or usukuchi shoyu)
2 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
Pinch of salt
(Optional garnish) Mitsuba or finely sliced spring onion
Instructions
Prepare rice: Rinse rice until water runs clear. Soak in water for 30 minutes, then drain.
Clean matsutake: Gently brush off soil with a damp cloth or soft brush. Avoid soaking. I used the back blunt side of a knife to ease the dirt off for efficiency. Slice thinly to showcase aroma.
Season broth: In a bowl, mix dashi, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and salt. Use 2 ½–2 ¾ cups liquid total.
Assemble: In a donabe, rice cooker, or heavy pot, combine drained rice and seasoned broth. Lay matsutake slices neatly on top.
Cook: Cook rice as usual. (Rice cooker: standard setting. Stovetop: bring to boil, cover, then cook on low for 13–16 minutes. Remove from heat and steam covered for 10 minutes more.)
Finish: Gently fluff rice with a shamoji (rice paddle), mixing matsutake throughout. Garnish if desired.
Notes:
If some rice grains remain hard, it means your pot runs hotter or your mushrooms absorbed more broth. Add an extra 2–3 tablespoons of dashi next time, or let the rice steam covered for 5–10 minutes longer off heat.
Matsutake handling: Avoid washing in water. Over-soaking dulls their fragrance.
Serving: Best enjoyed hot, when the aroma is at its peak.
