Okayu for you
I love porridges especially on cold, wet days. It’s very soothing. In Japan, a similar recipe is called Okayu. It’s basically rice porridge cooked in broth or water, and with some added ingredients. It’s the perfect food that soothes the soul which is why Okayu is fed to the sick because it gives them energy to recuperate without being too hard to digest.
To me, I think food like these gives the digestive system and the body a break. It’s healthy and delicious. It’s something that everyone should try once in a while :) You can put any ingredients you like in your okayu - meat, seafood, veggies, etc.
I found a delicious Okayu recipe online that I would like you guys to try. I made my own rice porridge using century eggs (which is a peculiar thing to some) and dried oysters. It was very yummy. But first let me share with you an Okayu recipe made with preserved salted plums.
1 c Short grained japanese style
Rice (wash thoroughly)
4 c Water
2 3 rounded tablespoon white
Miso paste (more or less to Taste)
1 Or 2 large salted preserved
Salted plums—umeboshi (to Taste)
1 Cake kinugoshi tofu
1 c Fresh spinach
1 c Fresh nappa cabbage
1/8 t Sake or mirin (optional)
“Okayu” - Japanese-style porridge.
While you wait for your water to boil:
Break apart tofu into little chunks (dice or just use hands) Wash spinach well and cut into 1/4″ segments Wash nappa cabbage and cut into 1/4″ segments take seed out of umeboshi and cut into small pieces
When water is at a nice rolling boil:
Add miso (make sure it completely dissolves in water) (At this stage, taste to make sure you have enough miso in water and add more miso or water for desired taste.) Add rice, tofu, spinach, nappa cabbage, and umeboshi Add mirin or sake (optional)
Once the mixture come back to a nice boil, put cover on pot and reduce heat to low simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Cook longer if you like a more creamier porridge.
This makes a nice replacement for soup on a cold day. If eaten as a meal, I like to puree some raw daikon with a tiny smidgin of fresh ginger, lemon juice, and soy sauce as a garnish on top of my okayu.
Here is a picture of my Chinese version of Okayu, using century eggs and dried oysters:
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