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1
Soak the drained rice in the seasoned dashi for 10 minutes inside each oiled kama before applying heat — this primes even absorption. The rice should sit level and the dashi should cover it by approximately 3 mm.
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2
Arrange the chosen toppings evenly across the surface of the raw rice. Do not stir. Place the lid firmly on the kama. Set over high heat and bring to a vigorous boil — a steady column of steam escaping from the lid seam confirms the boil has been reached.
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3
This is where the dish lives or dies: the moment the boil is confirmed, reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and hold there for 12 minutes. The lid must not be lifted. Any breach of the seal loses the steam that gelatinises the rice surface and cooks the toppings from above; the result is an uneven, dry-topped rice that cannot be recovered.
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4
After 12 minutes, remove the lid and check that the liquid has been fully absorbed — no standing moisture should be visible between grains. Replace the lid and raise the heat briefly to medium-high for 2–3 minutes to develop the okoge. A faint, clean toasted grain smell — not acrid — signals that the crust has formed without scorching.
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5
Remove from heat and carry the kama to the table, lid on. Lift the lid at the table to release the steam. The rice should be glistening, separate-grained, and the toppings set and glossy. Serve the top rice directly from the pot. Once the upper rice is eaten, scrape the okoge from the base with a wooden spatula; it should release in amber, crackling sheets.