Ochazuke

Ochazuke is an easy-to-prepare Japanese dish where green tea is poured over rice — like rice tea soup! Although those are the only two required ingredients, ochazuke can be dressed up with whichever additional toppings you want.

Since it only has those two base ingredients, ochazuke’s a popular “clean out your kitchen” snack for when you don’t have a bunch on hand. This, combined with the versatility of flavors that can be achieved with different toppings makes it a tasty, casual go-to. Among the most common additions include nori, pickled vegetables, fish, salmon or cod roe, pickled plums, and more. These salty toppings and the acidity of pickled toppings are so popular since the rice and tea are quite mild. Thus, the tea and rice provide a light yet satiating base while the other components’ flavors spice it up.

Though it’s traditionally an easy-to-make homemade dish, in modern times you can buy prepackaged instant ochazuke with assorted dried seasonings as well. At Uwajimaya, you can get instant ochazuke in the grocery section. But if you want to have the ingredients on hand to make it at home, all you need are rice and green tea, which are — naturally — in our rice and tea aisles.