When autumn comes, the streets of Japan will be awash with a tantalizing aroma – a special fragrance of roasting chestnuts on open fire. Biting into the piping hot chestnuts on a chilly evening brings many nostalgic moments to the…

When autumn comes, the streets of Japan will be awash with a tantalizing aroma – a special fragrance of roasting chestnuts on open fire. Biting into the piping hot chestnuts on a chilly evening brings many nostalgic moments to the Japanese. This abundant seasonal crop has found a place in many Japanese folklore and music. It is also used to make a number of delicious dishes. Here we have a rice recipe, kurigohan, which uses chestnuts (Kuri in Japanese).

Making this dish is not difficult, but first you will have to endure the tedious process of cracking chestnut shells. It might sound daunting for the first time, but once you get the knack of it, it is very easy to remove the shell. Either roasting or boiling the nuts for around half an hour will soften the shells. The outer covering of the nuts will come off easily after these methods. Addition of chestnuts lend an earthy, aromatic deliciousness to the rice.

Ingredients for kurigohan from Evoma:

• 2 cup short grain rice
• 21/2 -3 cup water
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp mirin
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 20 pieces of chestnuts

Directions to prepare kurigohan from Evoma:

1. Soak the rice in water for around 30 minutes. Drain and then keep aside.
2. Immerse the chestnuts in water for 30 minutes. After that, drain the water and put the chestnuts in boiling water for another 30 minutes. Drain the water and once the nuts are cooled down, remove the shells. Once this is done, sprinkle sugar evenly on the chestnuts to avoid discoloration.
3. After this step, we can cook the rice, seasonings and chestnuts together. To a large pot, add water and let it boil. Then add rice and season with salt, mirin and sake. Gently stir the mixture and stir in the chestnuts. Cover and cook till done. Remove from heat and serve.

Time consumed to prepare kurigohan:

Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

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