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Nanakusa-gayu
Seven-herb rice porridge
Nanakusa-gayu (七草粥): light rice porridge with seven spring herbs, eaten on 7 January
On the morning of 7 January, after days of rich New Year food, families all over Japan eat a bowl of nanakusa-gayu, rice porridge with seven young spring herbs, to rest the stomach and wish for good health in the year ahead. Supermarkets sell little packs of the seven herbs (seri, nazuna, gogyo, hakobera, hotokenoza, suzuna and suzushiro), but turnip, radish and their tops with watercress and spinach make a good stand-in. The porridge is plain, soft and seasoned only with salt. A portion is about 130 kcal. The most common mistake is adding the greens too early, which turns them grey and bitter; add them in the last minute. Chef's tip: don't stir the rice while it simmers; stirring breaks the grains and makes the porridge sticky instead of soft and clean.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz Japanese short-grain ricerinsed until the water runs clear
- 5 cups water
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 small turnip (suzuna)with leaves; root thinly sliced
- 1 ¾ oz daikon (suzushiro)thinly sliced
- 2 ⅞ oz seven spring herbs, or watercress, turnip tops and spinachwashed, blanched 20 seconds and finely chopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 5 ½ oz Japanese short-grain rice and 5 cups water in a heavy pot and leave for 15 minutes if you have time, so the grains absorb some water.
Step 2: Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then turn to the lowest heat, set the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 30 minutes without stirring.
30 minStep 3: Add the sliced 1 small turnip (suzuna) root and 1 ¾ oz daikon (suzushiro) and simmer for 6–8 minutes, until tender. The rice should be soft and swollen in a loose, milky porridge.
8 minStep 4: Stir in ¾ tsp salt and the chopped 2 ⅞ oz seven spring herbs, or watercress, turnip tops and spinach and turnip leaves, and heat for 1 minute until bright green. Serve hot.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nanakusa-gayu take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of japanese short-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
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