This delightful rice dish brings together the warmth of buttery rice and the coolness of a cucumber sauce, complemented by tangy pickles and soft-centered eggs. The interplay between the hot and cold components results in a meal that is both refreshing and comforting, making it a perfect choice for a quick summer lunch or an easy weeknight dinner.
To create this dish, you will need 200 grams of Japanese short-grain rice and two medium eggs for the main components. The recipe also calls for 40 grams of soft salted butter and three finely sliced spring onions to enhance the flavor, along with salt and black pepper for seasoning. For the pickled cucumbers, slice 200 grams of baby cucumbers into rounds and mix them with a teaspoon of flaky sea salt. Combine this with a mixture made from three tablespoons of caster sugar and 75 milliliters of white-wine vinegar. Finish with a tablespoon of olive oil, a small handful of chopped fresh dill, and half a teaspoon of dried mint.
Begin the preparation by working on the pickles. Toss the cucumber slices with salt in a heatproof bowl. In another bowl, mix freshly boiled water with sugar and vinegar, then pour this over the cucumbers to let them pickle while you prepare the other ingredients. When it comes to the rice, rinse it under cold water until clear, then drain well. You can use a rice cooker or a saucepan with 250 milliliters of cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil, reduce to the lowest heat, and cover for about eight minutes before removing from heat and letting it sit, still covered, for another 10 minutes.
For the cucumber sauce, blend a peeled and deseeded large cucumber with 100 grams of crème fraîche, a generous pinch of flaky salt, and a garlic clove until smooth. Keep this sauce chilled in the refrigerator with an ice cube. As the rice cooks, boil a saucepan of water and cook the eggs for seven minutes, then rinse them under cold water and carefully peel them. Drain the pickled cucumbers and mix them with olive oil, dill, and mint.
To serve, divide the warm rice into two wide bowls, adding pieces of soft butter to melt over the top. Spoon the cold cucumber sauce around the rice, followed by the pickled cucumbers. Halve the peeled eggs and place them on top, finishing with sliced spring onions while seasoning the eggs with salt and freshly ground black pepper. This dish is best enjoyed immediately, allowing the contrasting temperatures of the components to offer a light yet satisfying meal without the need for complex cooking techniques.