Gomoku Gohan is a Japanese mixed rice dish cooked with a variety of vegetables, chicken, and seasonings for a deep umami flavor. This dish is hearty, healthy, and easy to prepare using a rice cooker. The ingredients can be customized with whatever you have on hand. Follow this step-by-step recipe to enjoy authentic homemade Gomoku Gohan!
Gomoku Gohan
Difficulty: ★★★★☆3-4
servings20
minutes40
minutesIngredients
- For the Rice & Ingredients:
3 cups uncooked Japanese short-grain rice
1 boneless chicken breast, finely chopped (Substitute: Chicken thigh for a richer flavor)
½ block konjac (konnyaku), finely chopped (Substitute: Firm tofu or omit if unavailable)
1 piece aburaage (fried tofu), thinly sliced
⅓ carrot, julienned
½ pack shimeji mushrooms, separated (Substitute: Shiitake or enoki mushrooms)
- For the Seasoning Broth:
15ml (1 tbsp) soy sauce
15ml (1 tbsp) mirin
30ml (2 tbsp) sake
30ml (2 tbsp) concentrated mentsuyu (4x strength) (Substitute: 1 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tbsp dashi stock for a homemade version)
300ml (1¼ cups) water
- For Garnish:
Shredded nori seaweed (optional)
Chopped scallions, sesame seeds, or pickled ginger (optional)
Directions
- Prepare the Ingredients
Chop the chicken and konjac into small pieces.
Julienne the carrot into thin strips.
Thinly slice the aburaage (fried tofu).
Separate the shimeji mushrooms into small clusters. - Simmer the Ingredients
In a small pot, combine the seasoning broth ingredients (soy sauce, mirin, sake, mentsuyu, and water).
Add the chopped chicken, konjac, mushrooms, carrots, and aburaage.
Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the ingredients are slightly softened.
Remove from heat and strain the broth, setting aside the cooked ingredients. - Prepare the Rice
Rinse 3 cups of rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
Transfer the washed rice into a rice cooker.
Pour the strained broth into the rice.
Add extra water if needed to reach the 3-cup rice line on the rice cooker. - Cook the Rice
Gently mix the rice and broth in the cooker.
Spread the cooked ingredients evenly on top of the rice without stirring. (This prevents the rice from becoming mushy.)
Start the rice cooker and cook as usual. - Mix & Serve
Once the rice is done, gently mix everything together to distribute the flavors.
Serve in bowls and top with shredded nori, sesame seeds, or pickled ginger for extra flavor.
Notes
- ✔ For richer flavor: Use dashi stock instead of water in the seasoning broth.
✔ For extra texture: Add ingredients like gobo (burdock root), lotus root, or hijiki seaweed.
✔ For a vegetarian version: Omit chicken and add extra mushrooms and tofu.
✔ For meal prep: Store leftover gomoku gohan in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for later use.
✔ For a crispy variation: Lightly pan-fry leftovers to make crispy yaki-onigiri (grilled rice balls).