Mountain Vegetable Rice

Directions

1. 1
   Soak the bamboo shoot and warabi (bracken fern) to remove their bitterness.
2. 2
   Cook the rice with a bit less water than usual so that it's firm.
3. 3
   Slice the bamboo shoot into thin strips.
4. 4
   Cut the warabi into 2.5-3 cm long pieces.
5. 5
   Wrap the aburaage in paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds to remove the surface oil, then cut into thin strips.
6. 6
   Put all the ingredients except for the rice and chirimen jako into a pan with the dashi stock and flavoring ingredients.
7. 7
   Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat while stirring occasionally.
8. 8
   When the simmering liquid has reduced by about half, add the chirimen jako.
9. 9
   When there is almost no liquid left in the pan as shown here, turn off the heat.
10. 10
    (Since the liquid is mixed into the rice too, be sure to keep simmering until there's almost none left in the pan.)
11. 11
    Put the freshly cooked hot rice in a large container (such as a sushi rice tub), add the Step 4 simmered ingredients, liquid and all, and mix in.
12. 12
    The simmered ingredients are well flavored, but if they are too wet you can drain them quickly in a colander before mixing them in.
13. 13
    (Don't press down on them to squeeze them out.)
14. 14
    Taste, and if needed, add a little salt to adjust the seasoning.