Mushroom claypot rice is the kind of dish that feels both simple and deeply satisfying. Short-grain rice absorbs a savoury mixture of soy sauce and vinegar, while a generous mix of mushrooms adds rich flavour and texture.
Finished with spring onions, ginger, garlic and soft-boiled eggs, it makes an easy but impressive vegetarian meal. A casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid works best. Measuring the cooking liquid carefully will also help the rice cook evenly.
<h3>Ingredients</h3>
400g white short-grain rice or sushi rice
60g (4 tbsp) light soy sauce
15g white-wine vinegar
Fine sea salt
400g mixed enoki, shiitake, king oyster and oyster mushrooms
4 tbsp neutral oil, such as rapeseed oil
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
10 spring onions (100g), whites and greens trimmed, finely sliced and washed
1½cm x 1½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
4 medium or large eggs
Prep: 10 minutes
Soak: 30 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Serves: 4
<h3>Wash And Soak The Rice</h3>
Put the rice in a large bowl and cover it with cold water. Swirl it gently with your hands until the water becomes cloudy, then drain.
Repeat this process five more times, or until the water is reasonably clear. Cover the rice with fresh cold water and leave it to soak for 30 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
<h3>Prepare The Cooking Liquid</h3>
While the rice is soaking, combine the soy sauce, vinegar in a jug.
Add 380ml water and ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt, then mix everything together well. Set aside until needed.
<h3>Brown The Mushrooms</h3>
Tear the oyster mushrooms into strips about 2cm thick and slice the shiitake mushrooms to approximately ½cm.
Heat three tablespoons of the neutral oil in a wide frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add half the mushrooms, making sure they are not crowded together.
Leave them undisturbed for three to four minutes so they can develop colour. Turn them over and cook for another three to four minutes, until deeply golden.
Transfer to a plate, season with a generous pinch of salt and repeat with the remaining mushrooms. Add a little extra oil if the pan becomes dry.
<h3>Build The Rice</h3>
Heat the remaining tablespoon of neutral oil and the toasted sesame oil in a casserole dish over a medium heat.
Add the spring onions, ginger and garlic. Fry for about two minutes, until the onions become vivid green and the garlic is fragrant.
Stir in half of the browned mushrooms, then add the drained rice and mix again so everything is evenly distributed.
Pour in the prepared cooking liquid and bring to a boil.
<h3>Cook And Rest</h3>
Scatter the remaining mushrooms evenly over the rice, then cover the dish with its lid. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the dish from the heat without lifting the lid and leave the rice to rest for another 10 minutes.
This resting period allows the rice to finish steaming and absorb the remaining liquid.
<h3>Prepare The Eggs And Serve</h3>
While the rice rests, soft-boil the eggs. For medium eggs with a soft, slightly jammy centre, cook them for six and a half minutes. Cool them briefly, peel and cut each egg in half.
Divide the mushroom rice between four bowls. Use the back of a spoon to make a small hollow in the centre of each serving, then top with two egg halves.
For an alternative finish, a raw egg yolk can be placed in the centre and stirred through the hot rice just before eating.
The combination of savoury rice, caramelised mushrooms, sesame oil and soft egg creates a rich, comforting dish with plenty of depth while keeping the ingredient list straightforward.
