A simple rice preparation that can serve as a great side dish for a variety of Japanese (and other) dishes. If you don’t have shiso, use fresh mint, basil, cilantro, or a combination.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 tablespoon butter

　　5 fresh shiso leaves

　　1 cup basmati rice

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt the butter over medium heat in an ovenproof saucepan with a lid. Chop two of the shiso leaves and cook them in the butter for 30 seconds.

　　

Step 2

Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice becomes transparent, just a couple of minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, place in the oven, and set a timer for 10 minutes.

　　

Step 3

While the rice is cooking, mince the remaining shiso. When the 10 minutes are up, remove the rice but do not uncover; let it rest in a warm place for another 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining shiso, adjust the seasoning, and serve immediately.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.