Ochazuke (Green Tea Over Rice)
Craving a dish that is light yet comforting? This easy, homemade Ochazuke with green tea or dashi, steamed rice, and simple savory toppings will hit the spot.
Servings: 1
Calories: 335kcal
Ingredients
- 1 fillet Homemade Japanese Salted Salmon (cooked; you can also substitute any leftover teriyaki, grilled, or pan-fried salmon for a slightly different flavor; see the note below for raw salmon; skip for vegetarian)
- 1 cup cooked Japanese short-grain rice
- 1 tsp bubu arare (crispy puffed rice pellets) (or crushed Japanese rice crackers)
- 1 tsp shredded nori seaweed (kizami nori)
- ¼ tsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 2 sprigs mitsuba (Japanese parsley) (or ⅛ scallion, cut into small pieces)
- wasabi (optional, to taste)
For Ochazuke with Dashi
- 1 cup dashi (Japanese soup stock) (use standard Awase Dashi, dashi packet or powder, or Vegan Dashi)
- 1 tsp mirin
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For Ochazuke with Green Tea
- 2 tsp Japanese green tea leaves (I used genmaicha, but sencha, hojicha, and mugicha also work; use 3 g (1 tsp) tea leaves per 100 ml (about ½ cup) hot water)
- 1 cup hot water (see the tea leaves package for the appropriate water temperature to use)
- ½ tsp soy sauce (optional)
Instructions
Choose Your Ochazuke Type Below:
- Gather all the ingredients for Ochazuke with Dashi. You can prepare the dashi from scratch using my Awase Dashi recipe, a dashi packet, or a dashi powder. For a plant-based option, you can also make Vegan Dashi from scratch.
- Gather all the ingredients for Ochazuke with Green Tea. Feel free to use your favorite type of green tea.
To Prepare the Ingredients
- (Skip this step if vegetarian) Remove the skin and bones from 1 fillet Homemade Japanese Salted Salmon, then flake the salmon into bite-size pieces and set aside. If you don’t have 1 tsp bubu arare (crispy puffed rice pellets), crush Japanese rice crackers into small pieces. You can use a plastic bag to make it easier.
To Prepare the Dashi or Tea
- Ochazuke with Dashi: Combine 1 cup dashi (Japanese soup stock), 1 tsp mirin, 1 tsp soy sauce, and ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then transfer to a small teapot to keep warm.
- Ochazuke with Tea: Put 2 tsp Japanese green tea leaves in a pot or teapot. Bring 1 cup hot water to the appropriate temperature for your tea and pour it over the leaves. Let it steep for 1–2 minutes, or follow the directions on your tea package.
To Serve
- For each serving, place 1 cup cooked Japanese short-grain rice in an individual bowl. Top with the flaked salmon, then sprinkle 1 tsp bubu arare (or crushed rice crackers), 1 tsp shredded nori seaweed, and ¼ tsp toasted white sesame seeds over the rice. Serve tsukemono (pickles), such as Pickled Cucumber, on the side.
To Enjoy
- Ochazuke with Dashi: When you‘re ready to eat, pour the hot dashi over the rice until it's halfway submerged. Top with 2 sprigs mitsuba and wasabi. Enjoy!
- Ochazuke with Tea: When you‘re ready to eat, pour the hot tea over the rice until it's halfway submerged. Top with 2 sprigs mitsuba and wasabi. Add ½ tsp soy sauce, if you‘d like. Enjoy!
For Ochazuke in the Summertime
- You can use cold rice and cold dashi or tea (I love mugicha or barley tea) in the summertime to enjoy a cool and refreshing version of Ochazuke.
Notes
To cook the salmon:
1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC). For a convection oven, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).
2. Bake 1 fillet of homemade Japanese Salted Salmon for 20–25 minutes until the skin and flesh are blistered and charred (Japanese salted salmon is always cooked until firm and well done). Set aside until it's cool enough to handle.
3. If you’re using regular salmon (you will need ½ fillet), season it with a pinch of salt and set it aside for 10 minutes before baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 335 kcal · Carbohydrates: 60 g · Protein: 13 g · Fat: 3 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 19 mg · Sodium: 414 mg · Potassium: 423 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 1 g · Vitamin A: 109 IU · Vitamin C: 3 mg · Calcium: 21 mg · Iron: 3 mg