To Americans, green tea and rice may not seem like two flavors that naturally blend together, but the Japanese have long known that it’s a match made in heaven. If you’ve never tried it out, and you’re feeling adventurous, why not give this recipe for Japanese Green Tea rice, or “ochazuke,” a try? It’s a fairly easy way to try out something new with our green teas.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup steamed rice (preferably brown rice or sushi rice, though any kind will do)
- 1 cup brewed sencha (like our Sencha Shin-ryoku) or genmaicha Japanese green tea. Assorted toppings, such as steamed or sauteed vegetables, seafood, tofu (diced or fried), tempeh, seaweed flakes, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, pickled vegetables, toasted sesame seeds or savory seasonings
- A splash of soy sauce or shoyu (optional)
Preparation:
- Place rice into a bowl.
- Add hot tea.
- Top with additional ingredients and seasonings to taste.
- Serve.
If you’re looking to get the freshness of green tea with the flavor of toasted rice together in one easy-to-brew cup, you can enjoy our genmaicha tea and have a taste of ochazuke in just a few minutes. This loose leaf tea is made even more beautiful by the toasted grains of rice that have popped open to look like popcorn kernels. Either way you try this combination of flavors, it’s a great way to connect with a different culinary point of view we don’t see every day in the United States.
