Unagi Kamameshi
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups short-grain Japanese white rice
- 4 ½ cups water
- ¾ cup unagi sauce
- 14 oz. kabayaki (grilled eel, thickly sliced), Look in Japanese supermarkets, they are usually sold in vacuumed sealed packages in the frozen section.
For the stock:
- 3 cups water
- 1 ½ teaspoons dashi (fish stock granules)
- 1 ½ teaspoons low-salt soy sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons sake
- A pinch of salt
To garnish:
- ½ cup minced or finely chopped green onions
- Wasabi horseradish to taste
Instructions
- Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Drain and let sit for 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Place the rice and water in a heavy, deep, medium-sized saucepan with a well-fitting lid. Boil vigorously, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. To keep from boiling over, tap the top of the pan a number of times with a spoon. Most of the water should disappear – if it evaporates too quickly, turn down the heat during the last few minutes of cooking to avoid burning.
- Pour in the unagi sauce and mix well, then turn heat down to medium-simmer, cover the pan, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the eel slices, cover again, and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the stock. Heat water and stir in the dashi until dissolved. Add soy sauce and sake and adjust seasoning.
- To serve, mix the eel into the rice and serve in individual bowls. Pass the stock, green onion, and wasabi separately, allowing each person to mix in as they desire.