RECIPE: Takana Fried Rice

Adding takana to your fried rice is a simple way to elevate your dish by making it extra tangy, savoury, and crunchy! Pickled takana is made from Japanese mustard greens, such as komatsuna (Japanese spinach leaf). The vegetable is finely chopped and pickled in soy sauce, sugar, and dashi. This pickling marinade enhances the grassy, mildly bitter vegetable into a delicious mix of tangy, savoury, and spice!

You can easily create this fried rice in under 10 minutes! Simply fry together cooked rice, sesame oil, and scallions. Add pickled takana, cooked eggs, dashi, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. After step 5, you can let the rice sit without stirring so it develops an extra golden, crispy crust on the bottom. This takana will add peppery flavour and a dash of green colour to the fried rice. The flavours will deepen over time so it will be even more delicious if you have leftovers the next day!

Where to find takana and how to eat it?

Pickled takana is often available at Japanese grocery stores as a common condiment! You can also easily pickle your own takana at home if the mustard greens are available to you. Takana is enjoyed on its own as a side dish or as garnish to add spice and cleanse the palette. It can be topped on plain rice, ramen, and used as filling in savoury pastries!

Why add dashi powder to fried rice?

Dashi powder is made from dried tuna and is foundational to Japanese cuisine. It’s the backbone of umami, and it will enhance the flavours in your dish, adding greater depth and roasty flavour. Additionally, dashi powder will make your dish more savoury, so you can decrease the amount of salt and sugar when seasoning your rice! 

Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 beaten egg
• ½ tbsp cooking oil 
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2-3 thinly sliced scallions
• 80g takana
• 400g cooked rice
• 1 tsp soy sauce*
• 1-2 tsp soda bushi dashi powder* (optional to taste)  
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

1. In a frying pan, heat cooking oil on medium heat and add the egg. Scramble lightly until half cooked. Remove from heat.
2. In a frying pan, add 1 tbsp sesame oil and fry the scallions.
3. Add the takana and cook stirring until tender.
4. Add the cooked rice and egg. Stir until combined.
5. Add the soy sauce, powdered dashi if using, and salt and pepper (to taste). Stir well. Let sit for a crispy texture if desired. 
6. To finish, add 1 tsp of sesame oil and a dash of soy sauce. Fry for a moment to finish.

*Available in our Creative Beginnings: Redefining “Wa” Care Package

Introduction courtesy of Tiffany Furukawa

Tiffany spent her childhood exploring Japanese food in the suburbs of Tokyo and helping her Obaachan (grandmother) in the kitchen. These experiences nurtured her passion for food and she is now studying environmental sustainability and food sciences at university. In her free time, Tiffany loves discovering hidden restaurants in Japan, trying out new recipes in the kitchen, and going on runs!