This delightful rice dish marries the warmth of buttery rice with a cool cucumber sauce, tangy pickles, and soft-centred eggs, offering a refreshing yet comforting meal. The interplay between hot and cold elements makes it an ideal choice for a quick summer lunch or a simple weeknight dinner.
To prepare the dish, start by making the pickled cucumbers. Slice 200g of baby cucumbers into rounds, sprinkle with a teaspoon of flaky sea salt, and toss them well in a heatproof bowl. In another bowl, mix 75ml of freshly boiled water with three tablespoons of caster sugar and white-wine vinegar, then pour this over the cucumbers. Allow them to pickle while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Moving on to the rice and eggs, rinse 200g of Japanese short-grain rice under cold water until it runs clear, then drain. Cook the rice in a rice cooker, or in a saucepan with 250ml of cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to the lowest setting, and cover for eight minutes. After removing from heat, leave it covered for an additional 10 minutes. For the eggs, boil a saucepan of water, cook two eggs for seven minutes, then rinse under cold water before peeling.
For the cucumber sauce, blend a peeled and deseeded large cucumber with 100g of crème fraîche, a generous pinch of flaky salt, and a garlic clove until smooth. Chill the sauce in the refrigerator, adding an ice cube to keep it cold. Once ready, drain the pickled cucumbers and mix them with a tablespoon of olive oil, a small handful of chopped fresh dill, and half a teaspoon of dried mint.
To assemble, divide the warm rice between two wide bowls, dot with 40g of soft salted butter to melt over the rice, and spoon the chilled cucumber sauce around the rice. Add the pickled cucumbers and top with halved eggs. Finish with finely sliced spring onions, seasoning the eggs with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately to enjoy the contrast of warm rice and eggs with the crisp, chilled accompaniments, creating a light yet flavorful meal without complex preparation.