Japanese cuisine · Breakfast & Eggs

Okayu (Rice Porridge)

Soft-cooked rice porridge in dashi with salty umeboshi, nori and egg – Japan's morning comfort food.

Ingredients · for 2 servings

• 150g short-grain rice
• 1.2L dashi (or water)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 umeboshi (pickled plums)
• 2 eggs
• 1 sheet nori
• 1 scallion
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Wash the rice in a bowl with cold water until the water runs almost clear, and drain well.
2. Bring the rice to a boil with the dashi in a wide pot, stirring once so nothing sticks to the bottom.
3. Set the lid on slightly ajar and let the porridge simmer gently over the lowest heat for 35–40 minutes without stirring, until the grains have burst and turned creamy soft.
4. Season to taste with salt; if the porridge is too thick, thin it with a little hot water to a spoonable consistency.
5. Boil the eggs for 6 minutes, cool in cold water, peel and halve; cut the nori sheet into strips and the scallion into rings.
6. Ladle the porridge into bowls, top each with one umeboshi and half an egg, and serve hot sprinkled with nori, scallions and sesame seeds.