Cozy up

Seafood and Mushroom Doria

I can’t fathom that there are some rice cookers that cost more than $1,000 in Japan. One from Mitsubishi corporation sells for $1,400. Has the Japanese passion for perfect cooked rice driven people insane? I dunno, but I certainly am intrigued and would have loved to have volunteered for a taste test.

I bought a new rice cooker recently. Because I saw too many flaws in my old one and I simply fell out of love. I mumbled a few words when I put this one behind me (I mean, put it in a donation box)…”I appreciate your hard work for all these years but …it’s not you…it’s me…I hope you understand”. Anyway, I was seduced by the 20% off price tag, a strong persuasion to form a new relationship.. it did not cost a thousand yet it is a perfect match. See the pic? Isn’t he dreamy? He’s an induction heating type.

Doria is a popular dish in Japan but the chance of encountering this on a menu is rare in US restaurants. Japanese style curry restaurant in Portland Kale offers a nice curry flavored doria. Gratin-ey with rice and seafood. Cozy and warm – a welcome dish on a cold Autumn night.

Ingredients and instruction for 4 to 6 servings

• White rice 2 rice cooker cups
• Cumin seeds (not the ground kind) 2 teaspoons
• Butter 2 Tablespoons
• Salt 1/8 teaspoon
• Shrimps 4-6 shelled and cleaned. Slice in half length wise.
• Scallops 4-6 sliced in half thickness
• Squid, body only about 3x5 cut in 1x2 rectangle.
• Mushroom – any mushroom – I used maitake and white beach mushroom. Need 1 or 2 small packages cut off stem ends divide in 4 or 6 bundle.
• White wine 75cc
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 1 cup or more grated.
• Chopped parsley for garnish

For the white sauce

• Butter 4 Tablespoons
• Low viscosity flour (薄力粉) approximately 1/2 cup loosely packed.
• Milk 350cc or more
• Salt and white pepper to taste

1. Make cumin seed rice – wash rice and put in the rice cooker. Add water as directed. Add cumin seeds, butter and salt and cook. After it’s cooked stir with rice paddle to insure cumin seeds are evenly distributed. Put the cooked rice (3 - 4 cups) in an oven safe dish.
   .
2. Spread shrimp, scallops, squid and mushroom on the bottom of pan. Sprinkle with wine then put lid on to steam cook for 2-3 minutes at medium heat. Do not over cook. Put steamed seafood, mushroom and liquid left in the pan on the top of rice.
   
3. Make quick white sauce – Melt butter on the skillet or pan at medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add flour and stir until incorporated at low heat. Turn heat to high and add milk all at once and stir until creamy at high heat. Note: this white sauce should be quite loose, add more milk if the sauce is getting too thick. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the steamed seafood and mushroom
   
4. Heat oven to 400F. Generously top with cheese and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is golden.
5. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

 

If you have the resource plus desire to own a high priced rice cooker, wait until a new model comes out. Then the price of the old model suddenly drops like 25 to 30 percent. It’s practically same but a better deal. Isn’t that nice? And my favorite maker is Elephant Mark (象印) but Tiger rice cooker getting lots of votes lately…what is it about animals and rice cookers though?

We spent nearly 3 hours raking the magic carpet, I mean fallen leaves, last Saturday. This is the After photo.

It was like this two weeks ago. Shinning ,Shimmering, Splendid…. A whole new world…A new fantastic point of view, no one to tell us no or where to go…

…Stay here, now is  time to rake, my husband interrupted my singing.

I watched a friend’s two boys one afternoon. I really don’t care for Sponge Bob but I’m grateful for the show as it gave me a 20 minute breather. Are you sure you don’t want to watch an another episode?…They are so cute!

Thank you for dropping by. May your day filled with laughter and fantastic deals.