Japanese Rice Porridge or Okayu is so easy and simple to make. All you want is water and rice to make this conventional therapeutic meals. Add your alternative of toppings to this heat and comforting dish that soothes the physique and restores power.
Throughout this time of yr, when the chilly and flu season is at its peak, my kids often take turns bringing house a number of rounds of sicknesses from college. Final weekend, we caught a chilly whereas touring again from Utah, and our entire household got here down with fevers and coughs.
We didn’t have a lot of an urge for food, so I made a decision to make some heat Japanese Rice Porridge (Okayu) for the household. It’s the Japanese chilly treatment I depend on most to appease a weak abdomen.
Japanese Rice Porridge: A Therapeutic Meals
Rice Porridge, or as we name it, okayu (お粥), is an easy dish made with rice and water. The rice is simmered in a pot with water till it disintegrates. As a result of the rice is tender, delicate, and simply digestible, it’s thought-about a therapeutic meals in Japan. We usually serve okayu to people who find themselves recovering from illness, the aged, or infants.
For these of you accustomed to Chinese language delicacies, you most likely know that rice porridge (or congee), as a consolation meals, is loved in varied methods. Chinese language variations are sometimes topped with julienned ginger, chopped scallions, fried garlic, or fried shallots. Generally, congee is topped with extra proteins like shredded rooster, floor pork, seafood, or Chinese language sausage, making it appropriate for lunch or dinner.
In distinction, the Japanese don’t eat porridge as incessantly because the Chinese language do for normal meals. Okayu, particularly, is served as a therapeutic meals, meant to appease the physique and restore power. The toppings are saved easy, leading to a lightweight and mild-tasting meal.
Tips on how to Make Japanese Rice Porridge
The Elements You’ll Want:
Cooking Ideas
- Alter water ratio for desired consistency. For this recipe, I exploit a 1:5 rice-to-water ratio to yield a thicker consistency. We discuss with this ratio as zen-gayu (全粥). You may add extra water for a lighter porridge. There may be even an entire vary of rice-to-water ratios that the Japanese observe, and every one comes with a particular title. You may learn extra on this within the Recipe Word under.
- Use dashi (Japanese soup stock), rooster inventory, or miso for a extra flavorful broth.
- For additional substance and vitamins, be happy to serve the porridge with proteins, veggies, or pickles.
Cooking Rice Porridge with Donabe (Earthenware Pot)
We use a donabe, the Japanese earthenware pot when making the rice porridge for the folks we take care of. It’s a conventional manner of making ready the dish because the pot cooks the porridge evenly and retains the warmth properly.
I suppose you should utilize a rice cooker, instantv pot, or a daily pot to make the porridge, however donabe has all the time been the popular methodology.
I hope you give this Japanese house treatment a strive whenever you’re underneath the climate, or in want of one thing mild and wholesome.
Extra Wholesome Recipes You’ll Get pleasure from:
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Japanese Rice Porridge (Okayu)
Japanese Rice Porridge or Okayu is so easy and simple to make. All you want is water and rice to make this conventional therapeutic meals. Add your alternative of toppings to this heat and comforting dish that soothes the physique and restores power.
Elements
For the Prompt Toppings
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Directions
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Collect all of the components. I observe a rice-to-water ratio of 1 to five for a thicker consistency on this recipe; to regulate for a runnier consistency, please see the Notes on the finish of the recipe card.
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Rinse ¼ cup raw Japanese short-grain white rice in water, then drain. Repeat till the water runs clear. Drain right into a colander and shake off the surplus water.
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Add the well-drained rice and 250 ml water to a heavy-bottomed pot or a donabe earthenware pot, as I’ve right here. If cooking in a donabe, use a towel to wipe off any extra water on the underside of the pot (or else it might crack underneath warmth). Tip: Choose a cooking pot with loads of room for the rice and water to prepare dinner with out boiling over.
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Soak the rice for a minimum of half-hour.
To Cook dinner the Rice Porridge
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Cowl the pot and convey to a boil over excessive warmth.
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As soon as boiling, decrease the warmth to the range’s lowest setting (make certain to make use of the suitable dimension of range burner in your pot dimension). Open the lid and gently combine with a spoon, ensuring the rice doesn’t follow the underside of the pot.
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Then, cowl with the lid and gently simmer the rice for half-hour. Throughout this time, I don’t open the lid or combine the rice. Tip: With dimension pot and the bottom warmth on the range, the water shouldn’t boil over. If you happen to prepare dinner with extra water or your pot is smaller than mine, it’s possible you’ll wish to depart the lid barely ajar so the water doesn’t boil over. Tip: If you’re frightened, you may take a fast peek to ensure there’s sufficient water so the rice doesn’t burn on the underside of the pot. If essential, you may stir the rice or add a little bit of scorching water. In any other case, don’t stir the rice as a result of which will break the rice grains.
To Steam and Serve
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After half-hour, flip off the warmth and let it steam with the lid on for 10 minutes. The rice porridge needs to be delicate and thick. If you wish to add a crushed egg or salt, that is the time to combine it in. I maintain this recipe plain and easy. Serve in particular person rice bowls and garnish with toppings of your alternative. Widespread toppings embrace chopped inexperienced onion/scallion, umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums), toasted white sesame seeds, shredded nori seaweed (kizami nori), Do-it-yourself Japanese Salted Salmon, and mitsuba (Japanese parsley).
Notes
Rice-to-Water Ratio (so as from thick to runny consistency)
- Zen-gayu – 1 : 5 (50 grams : 250 ml)
- Shichibu-gayu – 1 : 7 (50 grams : 350 ml)
- Gobu-gayu – 1 : 10 (50 grams : 500 ml)
- Sanbu-gayu – 1 : 20 (25 grams : 500 ml)
Utilizing Cooked Rice: Add the cooked rice and a couple of–3 occasions water within the pot. Cook dinner, stirring, over medium-low warmth. Alter the consistency by including extra water.
Diet
Diet Details
Japanese Rice Porridge (Okayu)
Quantity per Serving
% Each day Worth*
* P.c Each day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie eating regimen.
Editor’s Word: The publish was initially revealed on January 30, 2013. The content material has been up to date in March 2020.
