Mushroom Crispy Rice Bowl

Serves 2 or 3 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes 

I love crisping rice in a skillet: Simply cook it with butter until it turns deeply golden. It’s an easy technique that creates the most incredible crunchy bits to complement the fluffy softness of steamed rice. I’ve experimented with many different crispy rice bowls, but this version with sautéed mushrooms is hands down my favorite. 

The mushrooms have a subtle Asian flavor from the soy sauce and are finished with a splash of vinegar for a bright tang. The real magic happens when you break the runny egg yolk and mix it into the rice, adding a lush richness to every bite. It’s the kind of vegetarian dish that even a meat lover will devour.

INGREDIENTS 

Mushrooms

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral oil, such as grapeseed

• 1 pound mixed fresh mushrooms (oyster, king oyster, shiitake, and/ or cremini), sliced

• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  Maxi's Kitchen: Easy Go-To Recipes to Make Again and Again: A Cookbook Maxine Sharf

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar 

Crispy Rice

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 cup cooked Jasmine Rice (see below)

• Pinch of kosher salt 

Eggs

• 2 teaspoons avocado oil or other neutral oil, such as grapeseed

• 2 or 3 large eggs (1 per person)

• Kosher salt 

For Serving

• 2 to 3 cups cooked Jasmine Rice (see below)

• 1 scallion, sliced

• Toasted sesame seeds

• Toasted sesame oil

DIRECTIONS 

1. Make the mushrooms: In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and spread them in an even layer, then season with the salt and pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until deep golden brown on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and soy sauce and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender, 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vinegar. Transfer the mushrooms to a medium bowl and cover to keep warm.

2. Make the crispy rice: Without cleaning the skillet, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the rice and salt and stir to coat the rice with the melted butter. Cook, stirring often, until the rice is golden brown and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.

3. Make the eggs: In a small nonstick skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium heat. Crack in the eggs and season with a little salt. Cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. If you like, you can tilt the skillet and use a spoon to spoon the hot oil onto the egg whites to help cook them through.

4. To serve: Divide the (not-crispy) rice among individual bowls. Top with the crispy rice, mushrooms, and a fried egg. Sprinkle with the scallion and some sesame seeds, and drizzle with a little sesame oil. I love breaking up the egg and mixing the yolk with the rice. Enjoy!

Jasmine Rice 

Serves 2 to 4, depending on your appetite and sides

(Makes about 3 cups cooked rice) | Prep time: 2 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes 

I almost always make jasmine rice in my 5½-cup Zojirushi rice cooker—that’s how my mom does it, too. If you’re using a rice cooker, I recommend following the manufacturer’s instructions. But if you don’t have one or you’re traveling without your usual setup, knowing how to make rice on the stovetop is such a useful skill. The trick is allowing the rice to steam (off the heat and without lifting the lid!) for 10 minutes—this helps the grains finish cooking gently. It’s the perfect base for soaking up all the flavors from the saucy Asian recipes in this book. 

• 1 cup jasmine rice

• 1¾ cups water

1. Place the rice in a medium bowl and cover with water. Gently swish with one hand, then drain the water. Repeat with fresh water, swishing and draining, until the water is no longer opaque (this is to remove excess starch from the rice). Drain the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and transfer to a small pot.

2. Add the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes (but don’t uncover it yet!). Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork or spoon. If the rice isn’t as soft as you’d like it to be, cover again and let stand for 10 minutes more. Keep the pot covered until you’re ready to serve the rice (it should stay hot for at least 30 minutes in the covered pot!). Leftover rice can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

TIPS

Choose a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid so the water doesn’t evaporate too much. If you’re cooking a bigger quantity of uncooked rice (like 2 cups), make sure your pot is at least 2½ quarts in capacity (rice expands as it cooks!). 

You can double this recipe, just make sure to follow the ratio of rice to water: 2½ cups water to 2 cups uncooked rice. 

“Maxi’s Kitchen” Copyright © 2026 by Maxine Sharf. Photographs copyright © 2026 by Amy Neunesinger. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, A division of Penguin Random House LLC.” 

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