How do you treat your ochazuke ??

[Elizabeth]

Can somebody help with this ? I'm supposed to be sending my sister an instant package of ochazuke mix, the Wasabi variety. The problem is it's something I've also never tried, all in Japanese, no recipes, and only pictures of Okayu or Onigiri.

Can she make the balls adding rice alone because kelp, dried bonito shavings (dashi) and nori are included as ingredients ? How about mixed with green tea ?

It isn't a big deal or anything, I've just got to preface it with something other than please enjoy your horseradish flavored watery cooked rice porridge.

 

[Dogen Z]

Chazuke is not porridge because it's not cooked. It's a simple and clever way to serve left-over rice invented before microwave ovens were avaiable. Just pour hot tea over left-over cold rice, no flavoring necessary but you could add an umeboshi or iriko (tiny fish). Nowadays, there are all kinds of furikake flavoring. I think wasabi is the least popular, salmon and nori are more common.

Here's an article on it for a "recipe," if you need it. Ochazuke (green tea over rice) recipe - Bento.com
But I think using hot rice for chazuke is a waste. You could eat the rice with the added flavoring without adding ocha.

 

[Elizabeth]

Chazuke is not porridge because it's not cooked. It's a simple and clever way to serve left-over rice invented before microwave ovens were avaiable. Just pour hot tea over left-over cold rice, no flavoring necessary but you could add an umeboshi or iriko (tiny fish). Nowadays, there are all kinds of furikake flavoring. I think wasabi is the least popular, salmon and nori are more common.
Here's an article on it for a "recipe," if you need it. Ochazuke (green tea over rice) recipe - Bento.com
But I think using hot rice for chazuke is a waste. You could eat the rice with the added flavoring without adding ocha.

OK, thanks. . Maybe excess green tea over cold (but cooked) rice + seasoning mix instead of water will take some of the kick from the wasabi. Everything here is in instant flavor.
http://www.rakuten.co.jp/jhb/609647/1770321/


Is there also a custom of eating ochazuke when you feel sick ? The way you describe it makes me want to eat either that or okayu, which I sent her last year. (From the pictures, chazuke can be "garnished" with nori, but they basically look similar to me.)

 

[Dogen Z]

Is there also a custom of eating ochazuke when you feel sick ? The way you describe it makes me want to eat either that or okayu, which I sent her last year. (From the pictures, chazuke can be "garnished" with nori, but they basically look similar to me.)

AFAIK, okayu, which is more like a porridge, and udon are the customary foods to eat when sick because both are soft and easily digestible. Chazuke wouldn't be good unless you're feeling a little chipper, IMO.

 

[Elizabeth]

Think I got it now! Chazuke is more like Teochew-style Rice Porridge but pouring green tea/hot water over leftover cooked/steamed rice instead of using soup.