Experience a delightful culinary contrast with this rice dish that marries the warmth of buttery rice with the crisp coolness of a cucumber sauce. Complemented by tangy pickles and soft-centered eggs, this meal offers a refreshing yet comforting combination, perfect for a quick summer lunch or a weeknight dinner.
Prepare this dish by first making the pickled cucumbers. Slice 200g of baby cucumbers into rounds and toss them with flaky sea salt. In a separate bowl, mix freshly boiled water with caster sugar and white-wine vinegar, then pour this over the cucumbers to pickle them while you work on the rest of the ingredients. For the rice, rinse 200g of Japanese short-grain rice under cold water until clear. Drain and cook it in a rice cooker or on the stove with cold water and a pinch of salt, bringing it to a boil before simmering for eight minutes.
While the rice cooks, create the cucumber sauce by blending a peeled and deseeded cucumber with crème fraîche, salt, and a clove of garlic until smooth. Keep this sauce chilled with an ice cube in the refrigerator. For the eggs, boil them for seven minutes, then rinse under cold water and peel carefully. The eggs’ fudgy centers will be a delicious addition to the dish.
Once the rice has finished cooking, assemble the dish by dividing it between two bowls. Add soft salted butter to the warm rice, allowing it to melt. Spoon the chilled cucumber sauce around the rice and top with the pickled cucumbers, which should be drained and mixed with olive oil, fresh dill, and dried mint. Halve the eggs and place them on top, finishing off with finely sliced spring onions. Season the eggs generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
For the best experience, serve this dish immediately. The interplay between the warm rice and eggs and the chilled sauce and pickles creates a light, flavorful meal that is both satisfying and simple to prepare. Enjoy the balance of textures and flavors that this dish brings to your table.