2 have already made this dish!
The preparation:
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Ochasuke is excellent with leftover rice. However, if you don't have cooked rice, start by making it. We have a comprehensive guide on how to cook Japanese rice: How to cook Japanese rice.
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Now, prepare your Dashi or green tea.
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Arrange the rice in a bowl and garnish with your preferred toppings. Good choices include Nori, salted salmon, and sesame seeds.
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Don't forget to season the rice. The easiest way is to use Furikake seasoning. However, feel free to experiment!
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Now, pour the hot tea or Dashi over the rice and toppings. Done!
Table of contents:
Summary
Ochazuke is a simple, low-fat Japanese dish perfect for those craving light cuisine, consisting of rice and green tea, often with an optional mix of flavorful toppings. Common green teas used include Genmaicha, Sencha, and Hojicha, and it's frequently served with Dashi in restaurants. Ideal toppings range from salty, rich ingredients like umeboshi (pickled plum), salmon roe, and nori seaweed to milder options when using Dashi. Ochasuke is enjoyed as a quick meal, a light snack, or even as a remedy for colds or hangovers, and is popular in manga as a late-night food for busy individuals. It's incredibly easy to prepare, especially with pre-cooked ingredients, and can even be made using instant Ochazuke packs that only require adding rice and hot water or tea.This simple, low-fat dish is perfect when you're craving a light Japanese meal. It consists of rice, green tea and an optional combination of spicy ingredients. Tip: Make sure the tea is very hot when preparing it, otherwise it will make the rice mushy.
What kind of tea do I need for Ochasuke?
Basically, you can use any type of green tea you have at home. Genmaicha, Sencha and Hojicha are most commonly used. In Japanese restaurants, the tea is often served with Dashi! Don't know what Dashi is? Here's a post that explains it in detail:
What toppings go well with Ochasuke?
If you're preparing the food with green tea, you should ideally go for salty, flavorful ingredients. If you're using Dashi instead, the other ingredients can be a bit milder. Pickled vegetables like the salty plum Umeboshi, salmon roe, salted salmon, sashimi, nori seaweed, sesame seeds and spring onions go particularly well with Ochasuke. But of course, you can also simply use the ingredients that you like best. Wasabi, chili and grated ginger add extra flavor. The rice seasoning blend Furikake also adds a lot of flavor. Don't know what Furikake is? Then we have a post for you here:
When is Ochasuke eaten?
The Japanese like to eat Ochasuke as a quick meal or as a final course at the end of a multi-course menu. Because it is so light, it is perfect as a snack in between meals or for a little hunger. Ochasuke is also considered a classic meal if you have a cold, don't feel quite well or even have a hangover. Even in Japanese mangas, Ochasuke sometimes appears as a midnight snack for students or stressed-out business people!
Quick and Easy
Ochasuke is ready in a flash - especially if you have most of the ingredients prepared beforehand. The dish is also perfect as a "leftover meal". For example, you can use rice from the day before, grilled vegetables and ready-made fish. There are even instant Ochazuke packs that consist of a spice mix including dried Umeboshi, salmon and nori. You just need to add rice and hot water or tea.
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