A delightful balance of warm and cool elements, this rice dish offers a perfect fusion of buttery rice, chilled cucumber sauce, tangy pickles, and soft-centered eggs. It’s an ideal choice for a quick summer lunch or a weeknight dinner, bringing together contrasting temperatures and flavors in a refreshingly comforting way.
To prepare this dish, begin with the pickled cucumbers. Slice 200g of baby cucumbers into rounds and place them in a heatproof bowl with a teaspoon of flaky sea salt. In a separate bowl, mix 75ml of freshly boiled water with three tablespoons of caster sugar and white-wine vinegar, and pour this over the cucumbers. Allow them to pickle while you move on to the other components.
The rice and eggs form the heart of the dish. Start by rinsing 200g of Japanese short-grain rice under cold water until it runs clear, then drain. Cook the rice in a rice cooker or saucepan with 250ml of cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for eight minutes. Let it sit off the heat for another 10 minutes. For the eggs, boil in a saucepan for seven minutes, then immediately cool under cold water and peel.
While the rice cooks, prepare the cucumber sauce by blending a large peeled and deseeded cucumber with 100g of crème fraîche, a pinch of flaky salt, and a garlic clove until smooth. Chill the sauce with an ice cube in the refrigerator. For the pickles, drain the cucumbers and toss them with a tablespoon of olive oil, a small handful of chopped fresh dill, and half a teaspoon of dried mint.
To serve, divide the warm rice between two bowls, topping with 40g of soft salted butter to melt over it. Spoon the chilled cucumber sauce around the rice and add the pickled cucumbers. Halve the peeled eggs and place them on top, garnishing with finely sliced spring onions. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. This meal, served immediately, is a light yet satisfying combination of flavors and textures, perfect for any occasion.