Maitake Rice

Rice is predominantly available in Japan, and that's where I realized it offers countless possibilities, based on this simple approach: cook rice in water together with something, fry in the pan something else, and combine both at the end. These two 'something' translate into a lot of possible combinations! This time I used flavorful maitake mushrooms. I was surprised myself how much flavor they contributed to the whole dish.
Many more variations to come.

Cook rice in water together with small pieces of red tōgarashī (japanese long red peppers), for flavor & color. At the same time, pan-fry the cut maitake mushrooms in a mix of butter and olive oil, with salt and pepper. When done add a bit of water and let cook for some minutes. When the rice is cooked, drain water, put in the pan and mix well, so that flavors mix. Serve with a simple salad to balance the lack of green.