Simple, fragrant, and flavorful, this Myoga Shiso Rice (Mazgohan) goes so well with any Asian main dishes. It’s made with only 6 ingredients!
If you’re thinking the only way to enliven plain rice is to make fried rice or to sprinkle it with furikake rice seasoning, you haven’t seen everything yet. For a fresh touch, Mazegohan (混ぜご飯) is a unique way to dress up plain steamed rice. It’s as effortless as mixing rice with other raw or cooked ingredients.
What’s Myoga Shiso Rice
Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite Maze Gohan – Myoga Shiso Rice (ミョウガとしその混ぜご飯). All you need to do is to finely chop myoga and shiso, and mix them in with hot steamed rice that’s seasoned with sesame oil, soy sauce, and toasted sesame seeds.
A gentle drizzle of soy sauce and sesame oil goes long way. The result is a Japanese rice dish that’s light and incredibly aromatic, at the same time versatile enough to pair with a whole suite of main and side dishes.
My family loves this 6-ingredient Maze Gohan so much that we keep coming back for more! The exquisite taste reminds us of a kaiseki course at the fine dining establishment.
The Golden Combination of Myoga and Shiso
Certain vegetables and herbs go well together, and myoga ginger and shiso leaves are one of those golden combinations.
- Myoga ginger (ミョウガ, みょうが, 茗荷) – Also known as Japanese ginger, Myoga is harvested for its unopened flower bud and flavorful shoot instead of its root. The flower buds are slightly larger than thumb-size and they come in pinkish-bronze outer layers. Myoga has a very distinctive flavor, with a mild ginger overtone and zesty tang. It has a tender crunchy texture and gives a refreshing taste to the palate. That is why the Japanese believe eating myoga can help boost appetite.
- Shiso leaves (しそ, 紫蘇) – Similar to Korean or Vietnamese perilla leaves, Shiso has distinct fragrance and flavors. This is one of my favorite herbs that I have a lot of shiso recipes on the blog.
Substitute for Ingredients – Any substitutes will not make up for the unique flavor of this recipe. However, you can always try with other herbs and condiments of your choice to make your own special maze gohan:
- chives
- garlic
- ginger
- mitsuba
- onion (thinly sliced raw onion or sauteed onion)
- scallions
- sprouts
- katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
- nori seaweed
- sansho
- dried red chili
- sichimi togarashi or ichimi togarashi
- umeboshi
- yuzu kosho
What To Serve with Myoga Shiso Rice
This beautiful mixed rice pairs well with many Japanese and Asian dishes, but if you’re looking for some ideas, here are my suggestions:
Main Dishes
Side Dishes
- Vegan Miso Soup
- Eggplant Agebitashi
- Simmered Koya Tofu
- Kinpira Renkon
- Japanese Cucumber Salad
- Spinach with Sesame Miso Sauce
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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Myoga Shiso Rice
Ingredients
- 3 myoga ginger (0.6 oz, 17 g; You can substitute it with a small amount of ginger, preferably mild-flavored young ginger)
- 6 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba)
- 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (equivalent to 1 rice cooker cup of uncoooked Japanese short-grain rice)
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp roasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Cut off and discard the ends of myoga and cut them into thin slices.
- Cut the shiso leaves into julienned strips and separate them.
- Place 2 servings of steamed rice in a large bowl/baking sheet/sushi oke (hangiri).
- Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice.
- Add myoga and shiso leaves. Mix all together.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
More Delicious Japanese Mixed Rice Recipes:
- Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice)
- Sweet Onion Takikomi Gohan
- Ume Shiso Rice
- Bamboo Rice
- Mame Gohan (Green Pea Rice)
