Chef Wayne
Nish of March - New York, NY
Adapted by StarChefs
Yield: 4 bento* servings
Ingredients:
- 2
cups short-grain Japanese rice
- 5
tablespoons salted peanuts
- 2
scallions, sliced thinly across
- 1
teaspoon peanut oil
- Kosher
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Lightly rinse the rice in a sieve until all the rice is wet. Put it
in a 6-cup saucepan with 2 cups water and let it soak for 30 minutes.
Crush the peanuts lightly to the size of whole
peppercorns. This is easy to do by pressing a small, heavy saucepan
on the peanuts with a rocking motion.
Stir the rice well and place the saucepan over
high heat. Let the rice come to a boil. Stir it again and turn the
heat down as low as possible. Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting
lid and let simmer for 11 minutes. Move the rice off the heat and
let it sit, covered for 5 minutes.
Transfer the rice to a bowl, stir well, and let
cool for 10 minutes. Fold in the peanuts, scallions, oil, and season
with salt and pepper to taste. Shape the rice in a mold.
For
assembly:
Choose
a simple, colorful plate that contrasts in both shape and color
with the rice.
*The
black lacquered shokado bento box, covered with a lid and separated
into four square compartments, is a common sight at dinner and party
tables in Japan. It's also appearing with increasing frequency in
American kitchens as an artful way to present everyday food.
