Takikomi Gohan (Mixed Rice)

Takikomi gohan is known as mixed rice since a number of ingredients are added in the rice.





Ingredients:
* 2 1/4 cup Japanese rice
* 4 shiitake mushrooms
* 1/4 gobo (burdock root)
* 1/4 konnyaku
* 3 inches carrot
* 1/4 lb.boneless chicken thigh
* 1 tbsp sake
* 2 tbsp soy sauce / 1 tsp soy sauce
* 1 tbsp mirin
* 1/2 tsp salt

Preparation:
Wash Japanese rice and drain in a colander. Set aside. Cut chicken into small pieces. Season the chicken with 1 tsp of soy sauce. Shred gobo thinly and soak in water for a few minutes. Drain the gobo. Boil konnyaku once and cut it into small rectangles. Peel and cut carrot into small rectangles. Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice them. Put 2 1/2 cup of water in a pan. Add sake, mirin, 2 tbsps of soy sauce, and salt. Heat the soup. Add chicken, carrot, gobo, shiitake, and konnyaku in the soup and simmer for about five minutes, skimming off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface. Stop the heat and cool it off. Separate the simmered ingredients and the soup, using a colander. Add some water in the soup to make 2 1/2 cup of liquid. Put washed rice in rice cooker and pour the liquid over the rice. Place simmered ingredients on the top. Start cooking the rice.