Add one umeboshi to the pot when you cook rice. When the rice is done cooking, mix it as you normally would. This gives the rice a bit of umeboshi flavor and aroma, adding a delicious dimension to this Japanese staple.

<Ingredients > 4 servings
Medium grain rice (米/Kome) 360g
Water (水/Mizu) 380cc
Umeboshi(梅干し/Umeboshi) 1

＜How to Make＞
① Place rice in a bowl, add ample water, stir quickly, and discard the cloudy water immediately. (Be sure to discard this first rinsing water, which smells of bran, as soon as possible, because rice will absorb the moisture quickly.)

② Mix rice well so that the grains rub against each other, add water, and drain. Repeat until water is almost clear.

③ Drain in a sieve, and let stand for half an hour so rice absorbs moisture. (If you cook newly harvested rice you soak it less, because it contains more water.)

④ Place rinsed rice and water in a heavy pot, cover, and heat on medium for 15 minutes, and turn the heat higher for 1 ~2 minutes, then turn the stove off.

⑤ Leave it for 15 minutes. Stir lightly.

Recipe Developed by:Kaoru Shibata