Sansai Gohan

Rinse the Japanese short-grain rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain and soak in 400 grams of fresh water for 30 minutes. After soaking, drain the rice completely.

To prepare dashi stock, soak the Kombu in 500 grams of cold water for 30 minutes. Heat the water with Kombu over medium heat. Just before it boils, remove the Kombu. Add Katsuobushi to the hot water, bring to a gentle simmer for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat and let it steep for 5 minutes. Strain the dashi stock through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving 450 grams of the liquid.

Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water until softened, then squeeze out excess water and thinly slice them. Discard the stems. Thinly slice the Carrot into matchsticks. Briefly blanch the Aburaage in hot water to remove excess oil, then gently squeeze out water and cut into thin strips. If using pre-processed Mixed sansai, rinse thoroughly under cold water and cut into 3-4 cm lengths.