Name: How To Make Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 300 g Uncooked Japanese Short Grain Rice; 60 g Carrot; 40 g Burdock Root (Gobo); 50 g Konjac (Konnyaku); 1/2 Sheet Deep Fried Tofu Pouch (Aburaage); 2 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms; 50 ml Water (for Dried Shiitake Mushroom); 300 ml Dashi Soup Stock; 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce; 2 Tbsp Mirin

How To Make Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice)

Bento Easy Freezer-friendly Healthy Meal Prep-friendly Rice Side Dish Vegetable Washoku

Takikomi Gohan is a Japanese mixed rice dish commonly made with seasonal ingredients. As it uses seasonal ingredients, there are various types of Takikomi Gohan, such as Takenoko (bamboo shoot) Gohan for spring, Toumorokoshi (corn) Gohan for summer, Matsutake mushroom Gohan and Kuri (chestnut) Gohan for fall, and Kaki (oyster) Gohan for winter. These are just some examples of Takikomi Gohan; you can find many more varieties in Japan.

Although there are different types of Takikomi Gohan, the seasonings used are commonly dashi soup stock and either soy sauce or salt. Based on these seasonings, adding additional seasonings can make each Takikomi Gohan unique and enhance the flavors of each ingredient.

In our recipe, we are introducing the basic type of Takikomi Gohan, which is enjoyed all year round, and known as the most popular Takikomi Gohan, “Gomoku Gohan.” “Gomoku” means five ingredients, indicating that the ingredients used in this recipe are carrot, burdock root, konjac, deep-fried tofu pouch, and shiitake mushroom.

We are using dried shiitake mushrooms in our recipe because they have more umami flavor than fresh ones. Since preparing dried shiitake mushrooms takes time, we recommend preparing them beforehand. While there are some shortcut ways to prepare dried shiitake mushrooms, the authentic way is best to bring out the umami from the mushrooms. Well-prepared dried shiitake mushrooms will enhance the flavor and elevate your Takikomi Gohan to a higher level.

It can also be a vegan dish if you use only kombu to make dashi soup stock. There is no strict rule for making Takikomi Gohan, so you can enjoy creating your own version.

This versatile dish is perfect, especially when you are busy. In Japan, there are various ready-made Takikomi Gohan seasonings containing some ingredients, making it easier to prepare meals quickly.

Once you try our Takikomi Gohan, explore other varieties and enjoy finding your favorite one.

Overview

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1hr 30mins

Total servings: 5

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

300 g Uncooked Japanese Short Grain Rice
60 g Carrot
40 g Burdock Root (Gobo)
50 g Konjac (Konnyaku)
1/2 Sheet Deep Fried Tofu Pouch (Aburaage)
2 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
50 ml Water (for Dried Shiitake Mushroom)
300 ml Dashi Soup Stock
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Mirin

Expert's Tip

When you have a rice dish on the menu, a shamoji or rice scoop is an important cooking tool. Sometimes, rice sticks to the shamoji, making it difficult to serve smoothly. To prevent this issue, this shamoji has an embossed surface. Moreover, you’ll never be bothered about where to place it after use, as it has a self-standing function. If you are looking for a shamoji, we highly recommend this one.

Instructions

1) Gathering the Ingredients

Gather the ingredients. Konjac should be boiled for 2-3 minutes beforehand to remove the odor.

soaking dried shiitake mushrooms in water

squeezing excess water from rehydrated shiitake mushrooms

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2) Rehydrating Dried Shiitake Mushrooms

Prepare a small cup and place dried shiitake mushrooms in it. Pour 50ml of water and cover them with plastic wrap to completely soak in water.

Soak them preferably for over 10 hours in the fridge to gradually bring out the umami from the shiitake mushrooms. This step should be done in advance on the previous day.

After soaking, gently squeeze the water from the shiitake mushrooms. This is shiitake dashi. Be careful not to discard it. Keep it for later. (Step 5)

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3) Preparing the Rice

Wash the rice, then soak it in water for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, drain the water using a sieve and place the rice on the sieve. Wait for 15 minutes to allow the excess water to drain completely from the rice.

cutting all of the ingredients into julienne strips

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4) Cutting the Ingredients

Cut the ingredients as follows:

Carrot: Julienne cut.

Burdock root: Scrape off the outer skin, then shave the burdock root rotating it with the other hand, similar to sharpening a pencil. Immediately soak them in water to prevent discoloration.

Konjac: Cut into thin and small sticks.

Deep-fried tofu pouch: Cut into thin slices.

Shiitake mushrooms: Thinly slice them.

adding enough dashi and seasoning to the 4 cup line in the rice cooker

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5) Adding Everything to the Rice Cooker

Prepare a rice cooker bowl and place the rice at the bottom. Then add soy sauce, mirin, shiitake dashi, and dashi soup stock made from kombu and bonito flakes. Gently mix them together.

After that, add all the ingredients and start cooking.

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6) Gently Mixing the Rice and Ingredients

After cooking, gently mix the rice and ingredients to spread them evenly from the bottom with a slicing and tossing motion.

You can find the caramelized part at the bottom of the bowl. This is called 'Okoge' in Japanese, which is especially flavorful and savory!

7) Serving Takikomi Gohan

Serve the Takikomi Gohan in your favorite style. We will show you three ways to enjoy Takikomi Gohan here:

Simply serve the Takikomi Gohan in a rice bowl. Enjoy it with other Japanese dishes.

Enjoy it as an Onigiri. This is a convenient way to have Takikomi Gohan with just one hand.

Arrange it in a bento box with other dishes.

About the author

Megumi Moriya

Megumi is a recipe writer based in Chiba, Japan. She carries a Bachelor in the Faculty of Foreign Studies and is interested in creating content about Japanese cuisine and traditional confectioneries. Megumi is most interested in making Japanese recipe content, and in her free time, she likes to play the piano, make handcrafted goods, and hula dance. She hopes to inspire Japanese Taste readers to make Japanese recipes at home and of course share more about Japanese culture.

View articles by Megumi Moriya