Original: English

Onion and Bacon Mixed Rice

A foolproof and exquisite mixed rice dish packed with the concentrated flavors of onion and bacon. The key is to not soak the rice beforehand and to avoid mixing the ingredients with the rice. Finishing with butter adds a rich depth, and it tastes great even when cold, making it perfect for meal prep or bento boxes.

📖Cooking Basics

dry（tantanmen）

Steps

Place 2 cups of rice in a bowl, and immediately discard the first rinse water to remove the bran smell.
🕒 01:40
Gently wash the rice as if praying, rinsing a few times until it becomes cloudy. [Key Point!] Rubbing the rice too hard will break the grains, so wash it gently. Rinsing until the water is clear will wash away the flavor, so rinsing until it's just cloudy is sufficient.
🕒 02:04
Drain the washed rice in a colander, cover with plastic wrap, and let it soak in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. [Key Point!] In mixed rice, the seasonings slow down water absorption, so pre-soaking is essential to prevent the rice from being undercooked. The moisture on the surface of the washed rice is enough.
🕒 02:49
Peel the skin off 1 onion (200g), trim off the top and root ends. Remove the root part.
🕒 04:31
Cut the onion in half lengthwise, make two cuts horizontally. Then, slice into 1cm wide strips, and further cut into 1cm wide pieces to create 1cm cubes. [Key Point!] Cutting with the knife slightly angled will help prevent the onion from falling apart.
🕒 06:27
Place the cut onion in a microwave-safe container.
🕒 07:22
Cut 100g of bacon into 1cm thick strips, then cut into 1cm pieces crosswise to create 1cm cubes.
🕒 08:35
Add the cut bacon to the same microwave-safe container as the onion and loosen it to ensure even cooking.
🕒 09:47
Loosely cover the microwave-safe container with the onion and bacon with plastic wrap and microwave on 600W for 4 minutes. [Key Point!] Cubing the onion enhances its sweetness. The saltiness of the bacon adds a nice accent. Heating concentrates the ingredients' flavors.
🕒 10:02
After heating, carefully remove the plastic wrap, being mindful of steam, and allow the steam to escape.
🕒 10:47
Lightly oil a frying pan and warm it over low to medium heat.
🕒 11:05
Add the microwaved onion and bacon to the warmed frying pan and stir-fry to evaporate the moisture. [Key Point!] Stir-frying removes excess moisture, resulting in a non-mushy finish. It also brings out the sweetness.
🕒 12:01
Prepare 3 tbsp of Cooking Sake (Rice Wine).
🕒 12:23
Once the onion and bacon have been stir-fried until the moisture has evaporated and they are sizzling, add 3 tbsp of Cooking Sake (Rice Wine) and stir-fry to bring out the flavor. [Key Point!] Microwaving beforehand shortens the stir-frying time. Stir-frying until lightly browned is sufficient; it doesn't need to be caramelized.
🕒 12:46
Once it starts sizzling again and the moisture has evaporated, turn off the heat and set aside.
🕒 13:57
Add the rice, which has been soaking for 30 minutes, to the inner pot of your rice cooker.
🕒 14:13
Before adding water, directly pour 2 tsp of Light Soy Sauce (10g) and 2 tbsp of Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine) (36g) into the inner pot.
🕒 14:40
Add water up to slightly below the 2 cup mark and mix gently. [Key Point!] Adding the seasonings first prevents the water amount from increasing due to the seasonings. If you prefer a softer texture, adjust to the 2 cup mark.
🕒 15:16
Gently arrange the stir-fried onion and bacon on top of the rice without mixing.
🕒 16:03
Tear open 1 dashi pack and sprinkle the contents evenly over the rice. [Key Point!] Consider the contents of the dashi pack as an ingredient and add it last without mixing it into the rice.
🕒 16:52
Set your rice cooker to the quick cook mode and start cooking. [Key Point!] Since the rice has been pre-soaked, the quick cook mode is fine. Normal mode is also acceptable. Even if using no-wash rice, pre-soaking time is essential.
🕒 17:35
Remove the strings from the snow peas and cut them into small, easy-to-eat pieces with scissors.
🕒 19:25
Place the cut snow peas in a microwave-safe container, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 20 seconds.
🕒 20:58
Soak the microwaved snow peas in water for 2-3 minutes to remove any grassy smell. Then, drain them in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. [Key Point!] Soaking in water after microwaving helps remove the grassy smell and improves the taste.
🕒 21:14
Once the rice is cooked, sprinkle in 15g of unsalted butter and 2 pinches of salt, then scatter the drained snow peas.
🕒 21:58
Gently mix everything together.
🕒 22:37
Cover with the lid and let it steam on the 'keep warm' setting for 10 minutes. [Key Point!] Steaming allows the rice temperature to equalize, preventing uneven cooking. Adding the butter and salt at the end distinctly enhances the butter's aroma and richness, and the salt's flavor.
🕒 23:03
After steaming for 10 minutes, it is complete.
🕒 23:44