Today, I’m sharing a simple yet slightly luxurious rice dish made with pre-cooked scallops (for cooking).
The flavor is gentle and balanced, making it easy to pair with almost any main dish.
The key is using a store-bought chicken bouillon cube, which adds a subtle layer of Western-style richness to this Japanese takikomi rice.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
Japanese rice 2 cups
Pre-cooked scallops (for cooking) 6–7 oz (180–200 g)
Maitake mushrooms 1 cluster
Aburaage (thin fried tofu) 1 sheet
Grated ginger 1/2 tablespoon
Chicken bouillon cube 1
Hot water 1 2/3 cups (400 ml)
White sesame seeds as needed
Chopped green onions as needed
Directions
1.Rinse the rice thoroughly and soak for about 30 minutes. Drain well in a colander. (Soaking helps the rice cook up fluffier, but you may skip this step if short on time.)
2.Dissolve the chicken bouillon cube in 1 2/3 cups (400 ml) hot water. Let it cool until just warm to the touch.
3.Remove the tough base of the maitake and separate by hand. Cut the aburaage into thin strips. Grate the ginger.
4.Place the rice from Step 1 into the rice cooker. Add the bouillon broth from Step 2 and the grated ginger from Step 3, then mix lightly.
5.Scatter the pre-cooked scallops (for cooking) and maitake mushrooms on top of Step 4. Cook using the regular rice setting. Once done, gently break apart the scallops and fold everything together.
6.Sprinkle with white sesame seeds and chopped green onions if desired. (White sesame pairs especially well.)
Using store-bought bouillon and pre-cooked scallops keeps this dish simple, affordable, and deeply satisfying.
It’s a gentle, family-friendly rice dish with a subtle fusion of Japanese and Western flavors.