Japanese Green Pea Rice looks as if round jade gemstones are scattered throughout the rice. The charm of Japanese Green Pea Rice comes from the rich aroma of fresh, seasonal peas and their natural sweetness, which is enhanced with a simple seasoning of just salt.
Cook Time does not include the time to boil peas because you can do it while soaking the rice. The same applies to Prep Time for taking peas out of their pods.
- 100g / 3.5oz green peas (about 250g / 8.8oz in their pods, note 1)
- 500ml / 1.1pt water
- 360ml / 0.8pt short grain rice (2 Japanese rice cups)
- 1 tsp salt
- 10cm / 4" x 5cm / 2" konbu (kelp)
-
Wash rice and soak in water for 30 minutes.
-
Take the peas out of their pods and remove the little funiculus (the tiny stem attached to the pea), if they are still attached. Quickly rinse the peas.
-
Bring the 500ml / 1.1pt water to a boil in a pot, add a pinch of salt (not in the ingredients list) and the peas, and cook for 4-5 minutes.
-
Turn the heat off and let the peas cool in the cooking liquid. If the room temperature is high, you can place the pot in water to speed up the cooling process.
-
Pour most of the cooking liquid from the pot into a measuring cup, leaving the peas and enough liquid in the pot to keep the peas submerged.
-
Drain the rice and put it in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or the inner pot of a rice cooker.
-
If using a saucepan: Add 405-425ml / 0.85-0.9pt (note 2) of the reserved cooking liquid (plus water if there is not enough) and salt to the pan. Mix and place the konbu in the centre. Cook the rice following the steps 4 – 6 of How to Cook Rice the Japanese Way.
-
If using a rice cooker: Add the reserved liquid (plus water if there is not enough) to the line marked for 2 rice cups and salt to the pan. Mix and place thekonbu in the centre. Cook as you would normally cook short grain rice (note 3).
-
When the rice is cooked, remove the konbu (note 4).
-
Drain the peas and add them to the rice. Gently mix the peas into the rice using a spatula, ensuring that evenly distributed.
1. I strongly recommend buying green peas in pods in season. But if peas are out of season, you can use frozen peas. The only adjustment you need to make if using frozen peas is the duration of boiling the peas. You should boil only for a couple of minutes.
2. The amount of water required depends on your preference for the cooked rice (al dente vs soft), age of the rice grain (new rice needs less water), and the pot you use (more steam evaporates with a wider pot). You will need to experiment and work out the exact amount that suits you.
3. If your rice cooker comes with a cooking option that includes soaking time (therefore it takes more than 1 hour to cook) like mine, you should use the 'Quick' cooking option to skip the water absorption time.
Alternatively, you can prepare the peas first, then add the pea-cooking water to the washed rice and use the regular setting to cook, including soaking time.
4. You can eat cooked konbu. It's good for you.
5. Mame gohan can be left for a couple of days in the fridge and up to 1 month in the freezer. But the quality of the peas, both colour and plumpness, will degrade slightly.