Mixed Sushi Rice (Edamame Gohan)

~Once my little boy Adam reached solid food stage, I had a hard time getting him to eat anything besides boiled and salted soybeans. When I told him the name of his beloved soybean was called “edamame”, he promptly translated it to “Adam-Mommy”. He loved it even more because, now the bean was a composite of him and I.  This is a recipe passed onto me by an innovative Hawaiian friend. My version uses a different blend of furikake; I like the added depth of sea flavors from the nori fumi blend, combined with the umami flavors of the katsuo blend. Fun fact: katsuo comes from the bonito fish, which contains enzymes capable of generating its own MSG. Not wonder it's so yummy and used for many sauces and soup bases in Japanese cooking. Every component and flavor of this dish, compliments the rest. As you explore the world of furikake, I encourage you to mix and match to discover your own favorite combination.

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked short grain sushi rice 

1 ½ cups frozen edamame

½ bottle katsuo fumi furikake

½ bottle nori fumi furikake

4.5oz bottle nametake mushrooms

1 tbsp fine sea salt

4 cups boiling hot water

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl with edamame, cover with boiling hot water for 5min. Drain in colander and douse with sea salt. Toss thoroughly and shake off excess water. Pat dry with paper towel.
2. Once rice has cooked and is sufficiently steamed, add edamame, both types of furikake, and nametake. Fold in gently and mix thoroughly.
3. Taste and top with a bit more furikake if needed.