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Salmon ochazuke (green tea over rice)
鮭茶漬け · Hot green tea poured over rice with grilled salted salmon
In Kyoto, where it is called bubuzuke, ochazuke is the light bowl offered late at night or at the very end of a meal, and in Tokyo it is the classic quick supper after a long day at work. Leftover rice is topped with flakes of grilled salted salmon, nori and sesame, then hot green tea is poured over so it becomes a fragrant, soothing soup. Grill the salmon until it is opaque and flakes easily, with crisp skin. The common mistake is using boiling-hot tea, which turns sencha bitter; let the water cool to about 80 °C. Chef's tip: salt the salmon the night before and keep it in the fridge; it firms up and takes on a deeper flavour.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz salmon filletskin on
- 1 tsp salt
- 10 ½ oz cooked Japanese short-grain ricefreshly cooked or warmed
- 1 ¾ cups waterat about 80 °C
To serve
- 0.5 sheet noriin thin strips
- ½ tsp wasabi (optional)
- 2 sprigs mitsuba or spring onion (optional)chopped
- 1 tbsp rice crackers (arare) (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rub 5 ½ oz salmon fillet all over with 1 tsp salt and leave for at least 15 minutes (or overnight in the fridge). Pat dry.
15 minStep 2: Grill under a hot grill, skin side up first, for 4–5 minutes a side until the skin is crisp and the flesh is opaque and flakes easily.
10 minStep 3: Flake the salmon, discarding skin and bones (or keep the crisp skin to crumble on top).
2 minStep 4: Brew 2 tsp sencha or hojicha green tea leaves in 1 ¾ cups water for 1 minute and strain.
1 minStep 5: Divide 10 ½ oz cooked Japanese short-grain rice between bowls and top with salmon, 0.5 sheet nori, 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds, ½ tsp wasabi, 2 sprigs mitsuba or spring onion and 1 tbsp rice crackers (arare). Pour the hot tea around the edge at the table and eat at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does salmon ochazuke (green tea over rice) take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of salmon fillet?
- Trout or any firm white fish, same weight (check white fish a little sooner).
- What can I use instead of cooked japanese short-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
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