Taught by YOKO from SUNPEDAL

「Tomato and Herb Spiced Pilaf with Basmati Rice」

Taught by YOKO from SUNPEDAL「Tomato and Herb Spiced Pilaf with Basmati Rice」

YOKO KOIKE / SUNPEDAL

Vegan food creator and founder of “SUNPEDAL.” Driven by a growing curiosity about food, she moved to the UK and gained experience working at a specialized trading company and as a service staff member at a vegan restaurant before becoming independent in 2018. Traveling around the world and across Japan to meet producers and inspiring people, she creates borderless vegan, sugar-free cuisine (free from sugar, maple syrup, and agave) that blends memories and aromas from her travels. In autumn 2024, she opened an atelier and shop in Sumida, Tokyo (open irregularly; please check Instagram for details).

Ingredients for 1 Serving (3–4 People)

Basmati Rice

1 cups
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Salt

A pinch

*For boiling rice

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Tomato

150g
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Red onion

Half of one
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Enoki mushrooms

30g
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Fresh basil

1 Pack

*Reserve one for topping

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Greens of your choice

30g

*Tenderstem broccoli is used in this recipe

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Capers

15g
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Paprika powder

1 teaspoon
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Cumin

1/2 teaspoon
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Soy sauce

1 tablespoon
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Olive oil

2 tablespoons
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Kombu tomato dashi

150ml

*The day before, soak 1 piece of kombu and 2 dried tomatoes in water to make the dashi.
(If unavailable, water infused with kombu can be used instead.)

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【A】

　Olive oil

3 tablespoons
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　Garlic

1 clove

*Finely chopped garlic soaked in olive oil is used in this recipe.

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　Fresh parsley

30g
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　Dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon
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　Fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon
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　Mushrooms

About 1 bunch

　*Use flavorful mushrooms such as oyster mushrooms or maitake mushrooms

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　Sanpedal salt

1 teaspoon
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　Sake

1 tablespoon
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How to make it


How to make it

  1. Add water, basmati rice, and a pinch of salt to HEGE and bring to a boil. Drain the rice in a colander and rinse it. (Think of this step as lightly seasoning the rice.)
  2. Finely chop the tomatoes, red onion, enoki mushrooms, fresh basil, capers, and fresh parsley. Cut the greens for garnish into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Add 3 tbsp olive oil, the garlic from 【A】, dried thyme, dried basil, and parsley to HEGE. Once the oil is fragrant, tear the mushrooms by hand and add them to the pot. Season with SUNPEDAL salt and sake, then sauté well. Remove the mushrooms from the pot. (Do not wash the pot, as the rice will be cooked using the oil and flavors left behind.)
  4. Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil into HEGE and spread the boiled rice evenly across the bottom. Make a well in the center of the rice, then layer the ingredients from step 2, the greens for garnish, and the sautéed mushrooms from step 3. Finally, gently pour in the kombu tomato dashi, cover, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for another 4 minutes.
  5. Turn off the heat and let it steam for about 5 minutes. Mix everything together, then garnish with fresh basil to finish.

Tomatoes vary in sweetness and moisture content depending on the variety, so using a mix of several different types will add even more depth of flavor.

I learned the method of parboiling the rice before cooking it from an Iranian friend. You can cook the rice as usual, but

this extra step makes a big difference in flavor, so I highly recommend giving it a try! This dish is also perfect for holiday parties.

Photo：Tetsuya Ito