Jūshī (ジューシー, Okinawan mixed rice)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Electric rice cooker, or heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Rice paddle (shamoji), or a wide spoon used gently

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the rice

   Put the rice in a bowl, cover it with water, swish with your fingers, and pour the cloudy water away. Repeat three or four times, until the water is only lightly cloudy, then soak the rice in fresh water for 20 minutes and drain it for 15 minutes. Rinsing removes loose starch that would make the finished jūshī heavy, and draining matters because the pork stock is measured later. Guessing at water is how good rice becomes porridge by accident.

2. 2

   Soak the shiitake

   Wipe the konbu with a damp cloth, but don't wash it. That pale bloom on the surface isn't dirt, it's flavor. Put the konbu and dried shiitake in the cold water and soak until the mushrooms soften, 20 to 30 minutes. Cold water draws the sweetness out gently, without making the kelp taste rough.

   Keep the soaking water. It is already part of the stock, and throwing it away would be throwing away the quiet half of the dish.
3. 3

   Build the stock

   Lift out the shiitake and set them aside. Add the pork to the soaking liquid with the konbu still in it and bring it up slowly over medium-low heat. Pull the konbu the moment the water trembles and small bubbles gather at the edge. Boil it and the stock turns faintly bitter and slick. Simmer the pork gently for 20 to 25 minutes, skimming off gray foam so the rice cooks in a clean-tasting broth.

4. 4

   Cut the fillings

   Remove the pork and let it cool just enough to handle. Trim the shiitake stems, then dice the mushroom caps, pork, and carrot small, close to the size of the rice grains. Slice about 2 tablespoons of the softened konbu into fine threads and save the rest for another simmered dish. Small pieces season every bite; large ones sit there looking pleased with themselves.

5. 5

   Measure the liquid

   Strain the stock into a measuring cup. Add the shōyu, awamori, salt, and pork fat, then add enough stock or water to make 400 ml total. Taste it. It should be a little too salty to drink, because the rice will take it in and soften it. If using a rice cooker, add the seasonings first and then top up with stock only to the 2-cup line. Seasoning counts as cooking liquid.

   This is the detail that decides jūshī: season first, then measure. Add soy after the liquid line and the pot is too wet; add seasoning after cooking and the flavor stays on the outside.
6. 6

   Load the pot

   Put the drained rice in a rice cooker or a heavy pot with a tight lid. Pour the seasoned stock over it and level the rice with your fingers or a rice paddle. Scatter the pork, shiitake, carrot, and konbu threads evenly over the top, but don't stir them through. Raw rice needs liquid moving cleanly around each grain; mixed-in fillings can block that and leave firm patches.

7. 7

   Cook and rest

   For a rice cooker, use the regular white-rice setting. For a pot, cover, bring to a lively simmer over medium heat until the lid gives a soft rattle, then reduce to the lowest heat and cook 13 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest, still covered, for 15 minutes. The rest is not idleness. It lets the moisture settle evenly so the bottom grains release without tearing.

8. 8

   Fold and serve

   Open the lid and fold the rice with a shamoji, cutting down to the bottom and turning the grains over gently rather than mashing them. Now the fillings belong to the rice. Serve in restrained mounds with a few scallion slices on top. Leave it room; jūshī is richer than it looks.

Chef Tips

• •Use fresh pork with a clean smell, not smoked or cured meat. Bacon would take over the pot. Jūshī wants pork stock, not smoke.
• •If you can find Okinawan shōyu, use it. If not, koikuchi shōyu is a sensible stand-in. Keep the rice amber, not black; the stock and shiitake should speak first.
• •Do not mix the fillings into the raw rice. Scatter them on top and fold after the rest. It is a small rule, but it keeps the grains cooking evenly.
• •A teaspoon of clean pork fat is not a mistake here. It gives the grains a quiet gloss and carries the pork flavor through the pot. More than that turns heavy.
• •Instant powder is a poor answer when the stock is the dish's backbone. If you need help on a weeknight, use a good unsalted pork stock and strengthen it with the shiitake soaking water.

Advance Preparation

• •The shiitake and konbu can soak overnight in the refrigerator, which gives a rounder stock and saves time at the stove.
• •The pork stock and diced pork can be made up to two days ahead. Keep them refrigerated separately, then measure and season the stock just before cooking the rice.
• •Cooked jūshī keeps two days refrigerated. Reheat it covered with a teaspoon or two of water, or shape leftovers into small onigiri while the rice is still pliable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 265g)