This delightful dish marries the warmth of buttery rice with the coolness of a cucumber sauce, enhanced by tangy pickles and eggs with soft centers. The interplay of hot and cold components creates a meal that is both refreshing and comforting, making it an ideal choice for a quick summer lunch or an easy weeknight dinner.
To prepare this cucumber rice with fudgy eggs, you’ll need just 10 minutes to get started, followed by a 30-minute cooking time. The recipe serves two and requires some simple ingredients: 200 grams of Japanese short-grain rice, two medium eggs, 40 grams of soft salted butter, finely sliced spring onions, and seasoning with salt and black pepper. For the pickled cucumbers, gather 200 grams of baby cucumbers, flaky sea salt, caster sugar, white-wine vinegar, olive oil, fresh dill, and dried mint.
Begin the process by making the pickles. Slice the cucumbers into rounds and toss them with salt in a heatproof bowl. In another bowl, mix freshly boiled water with sugar and vinegar, and pour this over the cucumbers to pickle them. While they marinate, rinse the rice under cold water until clear, then cook it either in a rice cooker or on the stove with water and a pinch of salt. Once boiled, let it simmer on low heat for eight minutes, then remove from heat, keeping it covered for an additional 10 minutes.
For the cucumber sauce, blend a peeled and deseeded large cucumber with crème fraîche, salt, and a garlic clove until smooth. Refrigerate this mixture with an ice cube to maintain its chill. Cook the eggs by boiling them for seven minutes, then cool them rapidly under cold water before peeling. Drain the pickled cucumbers, tossing them with olive oil, chopped dill, and mint to complete their preparation.
To assemble the dish, distribute the warm rice into two bowls, allowing soft butter to melt over it. Surround the rice with the chilled cucumber sauce and add the pickles. Halve the peeled eggs and place them on top, then finish with spring onions and a generous seasoning of salt and black pepper. Serve immediately to enjoy the contrast between the warm rice and eggs against the cold sauce and crisp pickles, delivering a light yet satisfying meal without any complex cooking techniques.