rice bowls

Rice bowls are satisfying and quick to make.

What makes a rice bowl? Well, rice. That's for sure---it's the foundation. Protein is the star of the rice bowl---maybe it's tuna mayo (or mackerel mayo, as above), maybe it's sardines fresh out of their oil, maybe it's plump white anchovies simmered in sauce. But a rice bowl with just protein and rice will be a modest meal unless its components are transcendent. So I like to add supporting items: small bits of other things that offer contrast to the senses---textures, flavors, sights, and aromas that work with but aren't the same as the rice or the protein. One or two is good.

Think combinatorially. The bowl above has shiozuke cucumber (Japanese half-sours, basically) and Chinese bamboo in chili oil; the mackerel (Season's water-packed) is leavened with kewpie mayo and mixed with chopped onion for texture. Here the goal is to add richness (mayo; bamboo), crunch (onion; cukes; bamboo), piquancy (onion; bamboo), aroma (cukes; bamboo), and a mix of colors (cukes; bamboo).

I could have gone with deeper, darker flavors: chili oil and pickled mustard greens. Or done it deli style: banana peppers, cherry tomatoes, capers. If you're not used to working with rice, no big deal---just think of it like a sandwich.

on making rice

To have a good rice bowl, you've gotta make good rice. That means (a) washing your rice, (b) learning a method, and (c) finding the variety of rice that you like.

For (a), washing not only cleans any stale processing detritus off your rice, it also helps make nice grains of rice that stick enough to use chopsticks but not so much that it's gloppy.

For (b), I tend to use the pressure cooker (with new crop rice: rinse rice; put equal measures rice and water in pot; high pressure for 3min; natural release). Instant pots are pressure cookers with electrified tails---great! For many years, I made rice in a saucepot on the stove---a little slower, but also great. Rice cookers are great, too. All make excellent rice... if you know how. So pick a method and learn how to do it!

For (c), I typically prefer Japanese-style short-grain rices, but jasmine works well, too. I don't think basmati or other super long-rain rices work great. I have no patience for quick cooking rice.