Gingko Nuts Rice in Two Ways

Posted on Nov 18, 2013 in Hiroko's Blog, Recipes

Gingko 2 with riceHere are two gingko nuts rice recipes – Japanese style and Italian style. To prepare for these dishes crack the hard shell of each gingko nut with a gingko nut cracker (or gently hit with a hammer like object) and carefully remove the inside nut. The inside nut is tender and breakable. Bring water in a pot to a boil, add a little salt and cook the gingko nuts for about 4 minutes or until the nuts are bright green. During cooking you see the thin brown skin which covers the nut partially starting to peel off. Toward the end of cooking stir the nuts in the pot with a whisk vigorously. This helps to remove brown thin skin from all of the nuts. Drain the nuts and discarding the brown skins.

Gingko Nut Rice – Japanese version

3 cups short- or medium-grain polished rice

3 cups kelp stock or water

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 tablespoon sake

1 1/3 cups cooked and brown skin peeled gingko nuts

Citrus fruit rind (I use yuzu; Maya lemon, lemon or lime are good substitute.)

Rinse the rice 3 to 4 times. Soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain the rice and let it stand in a fine-mesh sieve for 20 minutes to dry. Place the rice into the pot and add the kelp stock, sea salt and sake. Level the surface of the rice. Add and spread the gingko nuts evenly over the rice. Do not stir the rice. Cook the rice over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, turn to medium and cook for 6-7 minutes, turn to very small and cook for 10 minutes. Let the cooked rice, covered, for 5 minutes, then gently fold in the nuts. Serve the gingko nut rice sprinkled with citrus fruit rind.

 

Gingko Nut Risotto: in this Italian dish I cooked gingko nut with Matsutake mushroom.

1 1/3 cups cooked and brown skin peeled gingko nuts

2 small pieces Matsutake mushroom

Olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

Sea salt

3/4 cup Arborio rice

2 tablespoons alcohol (sake, white wine, rum,…)

3 cups kelp stock

Shiro-shoyu (wheat soy sauce)

Butter – butter

Citrus fruit rind

gingko risottoCut the gingko nuts into slices crosswise. Rinse the mushroom under tap water, drain and cut it into thin slices lengthwise. Heat the oil in the medium pot and add the onion and pinch salt, and cook until onion is semi-translucent. Add the rice and stir. Add the alcohol and stir. After adding the third portion of the stock, add the mushroom. Before adding the last portion of the stock add the gingko nuts. Add a tablespoon or so butter if you like. Season properly with sea salt and Shiro-shoyu. Serve the risotto garnished with citrus fruit rind.