Japanese Seafood And Rice

• 1 3- to 4-inch strip of kelp (kombu)
• 5 shiitake mushroom caps, fresh or dried
• 1/2 cup dried bonito flakes
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, like corn or canola
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 pound cleaned squid, tentacles cut in two, bodies sliced (or use all shrimp)
• 1 3/4 cup short-grain rice
• 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen (and thawed)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin or honey
• 1/2 pound cleaned shrimp, in small pieces
• Salt if necessary

1. Combine kelp with 4 cups water in a small saucepan, and turn heat to medium.
2. If using dried shiitakes, add them.
3. Bring almost to a boil, about 10 minutes (proceed to Step 2 while waiting), add bonito flakes and turn off heat.
4. Remove shiitakes after 10 minutes.
5. Put oil in a deep 10-inch skillet or fairly broad saucepan that can be covered; turn heat to medium high.
6. Slice and add reconstituted mushrooms or sliced fresh mushrooms, along with onions and squid, and cook, stirring occasionally, until edges of all three are brown, about 10 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to medium and add rice.
8. Cook, stirring until combined.
9. Add peas and strained kelp-bonito flake water (dashi), along with soy sauce and mirin.
10. Stir, reduce heat to medium low, and cover.
11. A minute later, check that mixture is simmering, and adjust heat if necessary; cook for 15 minutes.
12. Mixture should still be a little soupy (add a little dashi or water if it is dried out).
13. Remove cover, add shrimp and stir; raise heat a bit and cook until rice is tender and mixture is moist but not soupy.
14. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve.

kelp, shiitake mushroom caps, bonito flakes, neutral oil, onion, tentacles, shortgrain rice, peas, soy sauce, honey, shrimp, salt

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8115 (may not work)