Japanese gohan rice
A fuss-free Japanese side built around sushi rice, mirin and pickle juice — roughly 60 minutes start to finish, and rated easy to make. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 8 steps.
You'll mainly reach for saucepan and pan. At easy difficulty across 8 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: not verified. We could not confirm pickle juice from the ingredient list, so we make no dietary claim for this recipe.
Contains: none of the major allergens we track from the ingredients listed.
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Rinsing and soaking your rice is key to achieving the perfect texture.
- Measure the rice into a bowl, cover with cold water, then use your fingers to massage the grains of rice – the water will become cloudy.
- Drain and rinse again with fresh water.
- Repeat five more times until the water stays clear.
- Tip the rinsed rice into a saucepan with 400ml water, or 200ml dashi and 200ml water, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to a low simmer, cover with a tight-fitting lid with a steam hole and cook for 15 mins.
- Remove from the heat and leave to sit for another 15 mins, then stir through the mirin.
- Remove the lid and give it a good stir.
- Serve with any or all of the optional toppings.
You'll use: Saucepan · Pan · Steamer
Watch how it's made
Hosted on YouTube — pressing play loads content from YouTube.
What to serve with Japanese gohan rice
- Teriyaki Chicken Casserole Chicken
- Honey Teriyaki Salmon Seafood
- Katsu Chicken curry Chicken
- Chicken Karaage Chicken
Tips & common questions
How long does Japanese gohan rice take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 8 steps and 4 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Japanese gohan rice suitable for my diet?
We make no dietary claim for this recipe: at least one ingredient could not be resolved to a definite plant or animal source, so labelling it either way would be a guess. The full ingredient list is above.
Related recipes
Structured source recipe — not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Recipe data for Japanese gohan rice via TheMealDB (open database). ▶ Video. Original source. Consomee adds the scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.