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Introduction
The Allures of
Japanese Rice
01
High Quality
The unvarying high quality of Japanese rice results in uniform cooking
The fact that Japanese rice is managed under the world's strictest quality control standards is its major feature. Japanese rice is maintained at an unwavering level of quality. There is no need to be too nervous about water amount, soaking, or temperature when cooking, and there’s almost no going wrong, no matter who does the cooking.You can enjoy delicious rice of consistent quality throughout the year.
02
Sweetness
Japanese rice is a type of short-grain rice with a sweet flavor
When rice is chewed, salivary enzymes break down the starch, creating a subtle sweetness. With its chewy and sticky texture, short-grain rice has a sweeter flavor than long-grain rice. Japanese rice, in particular, is stickier and has a stronger sweet taste than short-grain rice from Southeast Asia because it is grown in areas with a large difference in temperature between day and night.
03
Enhancing the Flavors of Foods
The secret to the great taste of sushi and rice bowl dishes
Since rice itself has a mild flavor, it pairs perfectly with any food or seasoning. It goes well not only with Japanese cuisine, but also Chinese and Western foods. Even when eaten together with fatty meats or iron-rich fish, you can enjoy the natural flavors of the foods as the extra fat and iron adhere to the rice. Also, by alternating between the rice and the food, you can enjoy the changes in flavor to the fullest.
Cooking Tips
Versatile
Japanese Rice
When cooking Japanese rice, there are four key factors that affect how the rice will turn out: the way it is rinsed, the soaking time, the amount of water and the cooking equipment. A variety of culinary creations is made possible by independently adjusting these four elements. In addition, when it comes to flavor and enjoyment, your culinary horizons will further expand by changing the variety of Japanese rice according to the dish you are trying to make.
Specially Developed Illustrative Dishes
Toasted Rice Balls Made with Simmered Conger Eel
Specially Developed Illustrative Dishes
Seasoned Rice Cooked with Chestnuts and Maitake Mushrooms
Cooking Tips
How to Cook and Store
Japanese Rice
Although the way to cook rice is a broad and an extensive topic, this article introduces a beginner-friendly way to cook Japanese rice. Using this method, you can easily cook great-tasting rice in a pot or frying pan, as long as it has a lid.
01
Add 5–10 times the amount of water as rice and swirl 10 times, then drain off the water.
Repeat 3 times.
*The practice of washing rice by rubbing the grains together has become obsolete. Rinse the rice so that it is gently stirred in the water.
*Please use soft water if possible.
02
Add the same amount of water as the rice and let soak for more than 30 minutes.
03
Heat the rice with an equal amount of water until it comes to a boil.
04
After it comes to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer.
05
When the water has boiled away, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit to steam for about 10 minutes.
06
Open the lid and gently mix the rice. It’s ready to eat.
Rice is a dried food. Place in a pantry designated for dried items, just like for flour.
Avoid storing rice near items that have strong odors since rice can easily absorb nearby odors (oils, herbs, etc.).
The Allures of Japanese Rice / How to Cook and Store Japanese Rice
Supervision
Shinichi Katayama
President, Sumidaya Shoten Co.
Initiatives
Japanese Rice
Promotion Ambassador
Led by Japanese cuisine chef Tomiya, together with four other chefs from different genres, we have compiled a best way to cook Japanese rice more deliciously based on its characteristics. Based on the four key elements, each chef developed a creative menu and will sell it at their respective restaurants. Based on these ideas, a sales promotion campaign will be held to encourage participation by food and beverage businesses interested in cooking and serving Japanese rice in a more delicious way.
Yu Tomiya
Chef Tomiya studied Japanese cuisine at Osaka Cooking & Confectionery College and acquired a license to prepare fugu (Japanese pufferfish). He gained experience at kappo and kaiseki restaurants in Osaka serving traditional Japanese cuisine. After catching the eye of the New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel, he took up the position of sushi chef at the hotel restaurant, Sagano. He later worked as head chef at the restaurant, Gyotaku and then executive chef at the restaurant, Mizutani at Alva Hotel By Royal. He continues to work as a private chef and provides consulting on Japanese fine dining.
Yuko Nishimura
Chef Nishimura’s father established Nishimura Restaurant, a famous restaurant in Hong Kong. Yuko later took over, studied meal preparation at Fukumura Japanese Restaurant, and worked as head chef. He subsequently trained at Mutsukari, which serves creative Japanese cuisine in Ginza, Japan, and is now primarily providing consulting and management in F&B (food and beverage industry) in Hong Kong.
Angus Law
Chef Law studied cooking in Japan and specializes in traditional Japanese cuisine and French cuisine. He has over 20 years of culinary experience encompassing everything from French country dishes to desserts, Japanese pub foods, Japanese kappo dishes, traditional sake dishes, and a Kyoto-style Japanese sweets shop. He works as a hotel chef, private chef, catering consultant, and cooking instructor.
Alex Cheng
Chef Cheng spent his early youth in Venezuela and has worked in both Chinese restaurants and restaurants serving Western food. He opened his first Chinese restaurant at age 30. In 2004, he attended a Western cuisine cooking school and developed numerous dishes. After returning to Hong Kong in 2016, he worked at Western-style restaurants including the Pirata Hong Kong Group. He took up his current position in 2022, and is introducing Latin American cuisine to Hong Kong consumers and garnering plenty of media attention.
Man Pang
Chef Pang has a culinary career spanning more than 18 years. He gained experience at restaurants in Hong Kong awarded Michelin stars, including Daisuke Mori and Bo Innovation. While proficient at refined French cuisine, he has garnered a wealth of experience handling Japanese ingredients working with Chef Mori, and is creating fusion dishes like no other by integrating cooking methods from French cuisine.
Chef Tomiya, an expert in Japanese cuisine, gathered together with four other chefs with different culinary specialties to exchange ideas and formulate ways to prepare even better tasting rice, based on the characteristics of Japanese rice.
They gave a lecture to food and beverage businesses on the characteristics of Japanese rice and the four keys to preparing better tasting rice (the way rice is rinsed, the amount of time it is soaked, the amount of water used, and the cooking equipment), as well as a demonstration of the recipes they developed. After sharing the allures of Japanese rice with them, they invited the businesses to participate in the sales promotion campaign.
Anyone can easily cook great-tasting rice and use it often in various dishes, as long as you follow the tips for making the most of the characteristics of Japanese rice. I hope you will also refer to the information compiled on the website and recipe book. Please take the opportunity to join the campaign and consider utilizing and introducing Japanese rice.
This year’s initiatives are also introduced on OpenRice. Be sure to take a look.
Yu Tomiya
【特約分享】日本米爆發料理靈感令美味更美味！即睇日本主廚教路
https://tinyurl.com/2mfjhdzq
Initiatives
Sales Promotion Campaign
Based on the four keys to preparing even better tasting Japanese rice, participating restaurants will develop dishes, carry out the campaign at their restaurants, and serve dishes that give diners the experience of enjoying even better tasting Japanese rice.
Please click here to check which restaurants are currently participating.
