Abalone and Mushroom Nutritious Rice
How to Make Abalone and Mushroom Nutritious Rice, a Special Holiday Delicacy
A nutritious one-bowl meal packed with goodness, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients- 2 cups short-grain rice
- 4 abalones
- 3 shiitake mushrooms
- 1 red bell pepper
- 10cm section of green onion (white part)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 10 ginkgo nuts
- 1 Tbsp pine nuts
- 10cm x 10cm piece of dried kelp (for dashi stock)
- 2.5 cups water (including soaking water for rice)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp salt
- A pinch of black pepper
Abalone Liver Sauce- 4 abalone livers
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp rice wine (cheongju)
- 1 Tbsp seasoned soy sauce (mat-ganjang)
- 4 abalone livers
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp rice wine (cheongju)
- 1 Tbsp seasoned soy sauce (mat-ganjang)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s make the kelp dashi stock, which is the base for our delicious nutritious rice. Add the 10cm x 10cm piece of dried kelp to 2.5 cups of water and simmer for about 10 minutes to create a rich kelp stock. Then, remove and discard the kelp. This stock will be used as the rice cooking liquid.
Step 2
Rinse the rice gently under running water to remove any impurities, then soak it in clean water for at least 30 minutes. Soaking the rice beforehand will make the cooked rice much softer and more flavorful.
Step 3
Thoroughly scrub the fresh abalones with a brush or sponge to clean any grit between the shell and the meat. Separate the abalone meat from the shell, and carefully remove the hard ‘beak’ or ‘teeth’ part with a knife. Set the abalone livers aside separately. For the abalone meat, thinly slice two of them for topping the rice, and make shallow crosswise cuts on the other two to improve their texture.
Step 4
In a blender or food processor, combine the 4 abalone livers, 1 Tbsp of rice wine (cheongju), 1 Tbsp of sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp of seasoned soy sauce (mat-ganjang). Blend until smooth. This abalone liver sauce will add a deep, savory flavor to the rice.
Step 5
Lightly rinse the shiitake mushrooms under running water to clean them, then slice them thinly. Slice the whole garlic cloves thinly as well. Cut the red bell pepper into thin strips, removing the seeds first. These colorful vegetables will enhance both the taste and appearance of your nutritious rice.
Step 6
Now, let’s stir-fry the ingredients. Heat a pan over medium-low heat and add 1 Tbsp of cooking oil. Add the prepared abalone (both sliced and scored pieces), sliced garlic, sliced shiitake mushrooms, red bell pepper strips, and ginkgo nuts in order. Stir-fry everything gently, being careful not to burn the ingredients, until the abalone is slightly cooked and fragrant.
Step 7
Once the vegetables and abalone are stir-fried, season them with ½ tsp of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Be careful not to over-salt. Set the stir-fried ingredients aside for later.
Step 8
In a pot or rice cooker for making the nutritious rice, add the soaked and drained rice. Pour in the blended abalone liver sauce. Stir gently for about 1 minute, coating the rice grains with the sauce. This step adds sheen and flavor to the rice.
Step 9
After coating the rice with the sauce, add the prepared kelp dashi stock (2.5 cups). Adjust the amount of water as you normally would when cooking rice.
Step 10
Now, let’s cook the rice. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then, lower the heat to the lowest setting (simmer) and let it cook for 15 minutes, allowing it to steam and cook through. This gradual heat adjustment will result in perfectly cooked, fluffy rice.
Step 11
When most of the water has been absorbed and the rice is nearly cooked, arrange the reserved stir-fried abalone and vegetables, 1 Tbsp of pine nuts, and the finely chopped green onion evenly over the top of the rice. Cover with a lid and let it steam on low heat for another 10 minutes. This final steaming step allows all the flavors to meld together beautifully, creating a truly delicious nutritious rice.
