Pollock Roe and Chive Rice Pot: Bursting with Butter Flavor and Umami!
Simple Yet Elegant ‘Staub Pollock Roe and Chive Rice Pot’ Recipe
Perfect for when you have a less-than-appetizing day! Introducing the ‘Pollock Roe and Chive Rice Pot’ recipe, a delightful combination of umami-rich pollock roe and fragrant chives. Made with my beloved Staub pot (Baby Wok), it’s even more delicious. Staub pots offer excellent heat retention, keeping your rice warm for a long time, and producing fluffy, flavorful grains. Plus, it looks beautiful served directly on the table! We lightly pan-sear the pollock roe in butter to enhance its flavor, then sauté the rice in that same flavorful butter for maximum nuttiness. Finally, adding fresh chives completes this wonderful ‘Butter Pollock Roe Rice.’ And don’t forget the crispy rice crust at the bottom – it’s toasted in butter and incredibly delicious! This simple Pollock Roe and Chive Rice Pot is easy enough for beginners. Let’s get started!
Ingredients- 2 pieces fresh pollock roe (approx. 70g)
- 1 cup rice (200ml)
- 1 piece dried kelp
- 15g butter
- 1/2 Tbsp mentsuyu (Japanese soy sauce base)
- 1 handful fresh chives
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 2 pieces of pollock roe (70g total). If using frozen pollock roe, thaw it before use. You can thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or by leaving it out for a short while before cooking. (Important!) Always fully cook any ingredients that have been frozen.
Step 2
Gently pat the thawed pollock roe dry with a paper towel. Make 2-3 shallow cuts along the surface with a knife. This helps it cook evenly inside and allows it to bloom beautifully along the cuts.
Step 3
Rinse 1 cup (200ml) of rice under running water and soak it for 30 minutes. During hot summer months, soak for 30 minutes; in colder seasons, soak for about 1 hour. If you forget to soak the rice, you’ll need to increase the cooking time for the rice pot.
Step 4
Trim the dirty ends from a handful of fresh chives and finely chop them into about 1cm pieces. You can substitute with scallions or green onions if chives are unavailable.
Step 5
Now, add 15g of butter to the pot you’ll be using for the rice pot (I’m using my favorite Staub Baby Wok, which is the perfect size for a 2-person serving!). Enameled cast iron pots have excellent heat retention, keeping your rice warm for a long time.
Step 6
Once the butter starts to melt, carefully add the cut pollock roe and pan-sear it evenly over low heat until golden brown. Be cautious as the roe can splatter; maintaining low heat and partially covering the pot can help prevent this.
Step 7
When the surface of the pollock roe is nicely browned, remove it from the pot and set it aside. It doesn’t need to be fully cooked at this stage, as it will finish cooking from the residual heat while the rice is steaming.
Step 8
In the same pot used for the pollock roe, add the soaked and drained rice. Sauté the rice, stirring constantly, until each grain is evenly coated with butter. The rice grains will become slightly translucent and release a nutty, buttery aroma.
Step 9
After sautéing the rice for about 3 minutes, add 200ml of water, which is the same volume as the unsoaked rice. (For rice pots, the ratio of unsoaked rice to water is typically 1:1.)
Step 10
Add 1/2 Tbsp of mentsuyu for that delicious umami flavor. Stir gently with chopsticks or a spoon to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom as it comes to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low.
Step 11
Cook until the water has mostly evaporated and you can see small holes appearing in the surface of the rice. (It should look like the rice in the image, with very little liquid remaining.)
Step 12
Place the piece of dried kelp on top of the rice, cover the pot with the lid, and let it steam over very low heat for 10 minutes. This allows the rice grains to cook through and become fluffy.
Step 13
After 10 minutes, remove the kelp. Arrange the seared pollock roe attractively on top of the rice. Quickly put the lid back on to prevent the heat from escaping.
Step 14
Cover the pot again and let it steam for another 13 minutes. Once the steaming is complete, sprinkle the chopped chives over the rice, cover again, and let it rest for just 1 minute to allow the chive fragrance to infuse into the rice. Uncover and enjoy your delicious Pollock Roe and Chive Rice Pot!
