Every fall I am thankful for all the new crops that the farmers cultivate and harvest. From rice, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, mushroom, to chestnut, fall season provides abundant foods for us to enjoy. This Japanese Chestnut Rice (Kuri Gohan 栗ご飯) is a perfect dish to appreciate the season.
Watch How To Make Chestnut Rice
A traditional Japanese fall rice recipe, this aromatic chestnut rice with black sesame and a pinch of salt is perfect for fall evenings.
My father’s side of the family was from Niigata prefecture (新潟県) before they moved to Tokyo. Nigata is known throughout Japan as the home of Koshihikari rice, sworn by many to be the best in Japan. Every fall my family would receive new crop of rice from our family and friends in Niigata and I still remember how delicious the freshly milled rice was.
Earlier this year our friends at Far West Rice invited us to visit their rice field so that we can see how they transplant rice from green house to the field. This project was a very special experiment for Far West Rice too because for the very first time, they tried to grow rice the Japanese way. Typically in the US, the seeding is done by airplane dropping seeds into flooded fields. For the experiment,
Far West Rice sprouted the rice seed in the greenhouse until they became seedlings. Once the seedlings reached a certain maturity in the greenhouse, they were then ready to be transplanted to the field. The seedling plants had to reach a point of maturity so they would be able to flourish and tolerate the conditions in the field.
Here are some photos and videos we captured on our trip.
When fall came, their special koshi rice was ready for harvest.
Here’s our friend Ted harvesting the stalks using the Japanese harvester (look how small this is compared to American harvester!).
Use Japanese Short Grain Rice for Chestnut Rice
Good Japanese rice has this beautiful pearly white shape. It is shiny, aromatic, and resilient when it’s cooked, and each grain of rice is perfectly fluffy and distinct. When you chew the grain, it has a slight sweetness and a wonderful bouncy texture.
Far West Rice will only polish and pack the rice when an order is placed so that the rice stays fresh and keeps the rice in optimal condition. Their rice is simply incomparable. A perfect bowl of heavenly good rice. And it goes so well with freshly harvested chestnuts.
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