Japanese Roasted Tea Porridge

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Japanese Roasted Tea Porridge

Roasted tea rice porridge is a simple yet comforting Japanese dish with a subtle roasted, nutty aroma and a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Serve it with Japanese pickled plums, pickled vegetables, nori and salted grilled fish to recreate a traditional Japanese breakfast experience at home.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: chagayu, roasted tea porridge

Servings: people

Calories: 182kcal

Author: Sophie Pham

Ingredients

3.5 oz uncooked Japanese short grain white rice (100g/scant ½ cup)
5-6 cups water (1.2-1.44l)
6 tablespoons hojicha tea leaves (12g)
salt (optional, to taste)

Instructions

Rinse rice under running water until the water almost runs clear. Drain and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
Add water to a pot and place over medium heat. Once the water is about to bubble rapidly, turn off the heat and add hojicha tea leaves. Steep for about 2-3 minutes.
Strain the tea and discard the tea leaves. Place the tea over medium heat and bring it back to a boil, then add the washed rice.
Simmer until the rice is soft and porridge-like, about 40 minutes, with the lid slightly askew. Adjust the amount of liquid to achieve your desired consistency.
You should not stir the rice during cooking to avoid breaking the rice grains. Only stir if it looks like there is not enough liquid and it may burn the bottom of the pot, then add a bit of water.
Serve hot with umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums), nori (seaweed), assorted Japanese vegetable pickles and salted grilled fish.

Notes

The roasted tea porridge we had in Nara and Kanazawa was very light in flavor, so we use little to no salt when making it at home. You can add a pinch of salt to taste.

As we eat this dish for breakfast, we prefer a thin consistency but not watery. We usually use 6 cups of water. You can adjust the amount of liquid to your liking. Also feel free to use less tea leaves for a lighter taste.

Our favorite side to serve with this porridge is salted grilled salmon. Simply salt thin salmon fillets (about 1/2 inch thick) overnight in the fridge, then broil them for 5-6 minutes in the morning.

Nutrition