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Japanese Rice Porridge

Name: Japanese Rice Porridge
Prep time: 20

(7 votes, average: 3.43 out of 5)

20 min prep

2 servings

Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size

8 ingredients

Incorporating traditional Japanese ingredients into diet can be a useful way to make healthy, protein-rich, and easy to digest meals during treatment. One particularly healing dish, okayu, this Japanese Rice Porridge, is comforting and...

1 cup cooked or leftover rice (see Chef Tips)
2 cups water
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, or to taste, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
¼ cup scallions, chopped (optional)
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Kimchi to taste (optional)
Umeboshi plums (optional)

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

356 cals

Fat

1 g

Saturated Fat

0 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

0 g

Monounsaturated Fat

0 g

Carbohydrates

79 g

Sugar

1 g

Fiber

1 g

Protein

7 g

Sodium

810 mg

Directions

Cover rice with water and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Add ginger and cook for another 10 minutes. Add more water if a soupier consistency is desired. Season with salt.
Remove from heat and serve with scallions, sesame seeds, kimchi, or an umeboshi plum (see Chef Tips). For additional protein, add grilled or baked tofu, or a poached or hardboiled egg, diced chicken, or smoked salmon.

Chef Tips

Use white rice and omit the optional ingredients if you are having digestive problems, experiencing diarrhea, or on a low-fiber and/or bland diet.

Okayu makes for a delicious savory change from oatmeal for breakfast. Here’s a way to make it the night before with uncooked rice:

1. Wash ½ cup of rice and put it into a pan with 3-4 times its volume of water. Bring it to a boil, cover tightly, then turn off the heat and leave overnight.

2. By the morning, the rice will have soaked up nearly all of the water. Add more water to taste, depending on how soupy you prefer the oyaku. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes stirring from time to time. If it gets too thick, add a little boiling water. Serve with recommended toppings.

Registered Dietitian Approved

All our recipes are created by chefs and reviewed by our Registered Dietitian Kate Ueland, MS, RD, CSO, a board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.