Turmeric Rice with Mochi Mugi Barley

With the bright color and aromas, this dish can stimulate your appetite so much. Once you sauté the spices with rice and Mochi Mugi barley, just add the stock (or water) and let the Kamado-san do the work for you. The entire process is done over medium-heat. It's so flavorful and I love the bouncy texture of the barley in the dish, too. This dish is especially great with Pork Keema Curry, and when I make this combination, I always end up having second (and sometimes even third) bowl. If you wish to make it without the Mochi Mugi, reduce the stock (or water) amount by 1/2 cup (120 ml), then reduce each spice's amount a little bit.

Equipment

Double-lid donabe rice cooker, Kamado-san (3 rice-cup size)

Servings

4 - 5

Ingredients

• 2 rice cups (360 ml) short grain rice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Generous 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 packet ( 2 oz | 50 g) mochi mugi barley
• Generous 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable stock or water
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Procedure

1. Rinse the rice. Let it dry in the colander for at least 30 minutes.
2. Add the olive oil and cumin seeds to Kamado-san and sauté over medium-heat for 1 -2 minutes or until the cumin becomes aromatic.
3. Add the rice and mochi mugi, and sauté until the rice is almost translucent, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the turmeric, and sauté for another minute or so.
5. Add the sake, and stir. Then, add the stock, salt and pepper, and stir again. Place the bay leaf on top.
6. Cover Kamado-san with both lids and cook for 13 minutes, or until 2 - 3 minutes after the steam starts puffing out of the top lid.
7. Turn off the heat and let it stand for 20 minutes.
8. Uncover and remove the bay left. Gently toss the contents with a rice paddle.

Tip: To make non-boiled "boiled eggs", simply place the eggs (you can fit up to 4 eggs) right out of the fridge on the inner lid before covering with the top lid in Step 6. When the rice is cooked and rested, just remove the eggs and peel after they are cooled down.

You can also cook non-boiled "boiled eggs" while cooking the rice.

Fluffy and aromatic donabe turmeric rice is always so good. I love the little okoge (the crust in the bottom), too.

With Pork Keema Curry and non-boiled "boiled" eggs cooked together with the rice in the same donabe, it's such a delightful treat.