Ochazuke is an easy and quick Japanese dish with cooked rice topped with various ingredients, over which hot green tea is poured. When you don’t have time to cook or lack appetite, Ochazuke is a popular choice for many people in Japan. Here, I’ve made a summer version for when you don’t want to eat hot food. Cool all the ingredients and pour ice-cold green tea over them. Is this refreshing or what?! Toppings can include typical Ochazuke ingredients like salmon flakes and pickled vegetables, or you can use any vegetables or meat you like. However, the toppings need to be a little saltier than you might think because the green tea will dilute the taste quite a bit. So, choose strongly flavored toppings. When you don’t feel like cooking in a hot kitchen, try this simple and soothing Cold Ochazuke. It’ll make you feel good. Hope you give it a try soon!
Cold Ochazuke
*Links may contain ad. #CommissionsEarned
Ingredients
- 1 fillet salmon
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cucumber Japanese or Persian
- 2 Umeboshi pickled sour plums
- 2 cups steamed rice
- Nori roasted seaweed, shredded
- green tea ice cold
- soy sauce
Instructions
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt on the salmon and let it sit for 10 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Cook the salmon in a preheated frying pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from heat and flake into small pieces.
- Slice cucumber very thinly using a sharp knife or mandoline. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and let sit for 5 minutes. Gently squeeze out excess water using your hands or a clean kitchen towel.
- Remove pits from Umeboshi pickled sour plums, then finely chop into a paste using a knife.
- Rinse the steamed rice under cold running water, and drain well.
- Divide the rice between 2 large bowls. Top each bowl with the flaked salmon, cucumber slices, and umeboshi paste. Sprinkle with shredded nori. Gently pour ice-cold green tea over until the rice is just covered. If desired, add a splash of soy sauce for extra flavor.
