Chestnut Seaweed Rice
1/2 cup short grain brown rice (do not substitute)
1/4 cup sweet brown rice (a.k.a. glutinous brown rice)
8 dried chestnuts
2-3 tb hijiki seaweed
1 7/8 cups water
Soak the chestnuts at least eight hours but preferably over night for
a sweeter flavor. Don't throw away the soaking water. Organic
chestnuts are preferable.
Using a big enough bowl to allow for expansion by up to a factor of
five, soak the hijiki for at least an hour. Longer makes no
difference. (Arame can be substituted, but then use more as it
doesn't expand.) Retain the soaking water, but leave out any sandy
stuff that accumulates at the bottom of the bowl.
Mix the brown rice and sweet rice, and wash and drain them a few
times until the water clears. (Other kinds of rice shouldn't be used
in this recipe because the pressure cooking would probably beat them
up too much.)
Use the soaking water from the chestnuts and the hijiki, and
sufficient additional water to make 1 7/8 cups. Put it in a pressure
cooker with the rice.
Cut the hijiki into pieces of about a centimeter, and layer it on top
of the rice in the pressure cooker.
Arrange the chestnuts symmetrically on top of the hijiki.
Pressure cook for 45 minutes. (See notes on pressure cooking grains.)
Whisk it around a little with a wooden spoon when it's done. If it
sticks to the bottom, let it sit for a few minutes and it will be
easier to take out. The optimum result is of a chewy, cohesive
consistency, but don't be put off if you think sticky rice makes you
gag: in this dish it's a virtue.
From: Dennis Furey <
[email protected]>
Date: Fri, 04 Jun 93 20:02:14 BST
