
Tea the star of this Japanese dish
Cooking with tea as a herbal ingredient is something I have worked on for many years as culinary ambassador for Dilmah Tea. This simple recipe is healthy with clean, fresh flavours highlighted with Ceylon green tea. Ochazuke is a traditional Japanese dish of rice and salmon topped with tea.
OCHAZUKE WITH CEYLON GREEN TEA
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1 x 200g portion of salmon
1 cup cooked Japanese short grain rice or sushi rice
Wasabi (optional, for taste)
1 tsp Bubu arare (crispy puffed rice pearl crackers) (or use Japanese rice crackers)
¼ tsp white sesame seeds (roasted/toasted)
½ tsp soy sauce (optional)
1 tsp Kizami Nori (shredded seaweed)
1 tsp finely sliced spring onion or Japanese parsley (Mitsuba)
Pinch of Ceylon green tea as a garnish
2 tsp Ceylon green tea
500ml boiling water
½ teaspoon of dashi powder
2 drops of sesame oil
METHOD
Dice the salmon into 1cm cubes and mix with Babu arare, white sesame seeds and soy sauce.
Place the rice into two bowls and add a small amount of wasabi on top of the rice.
Divide into two and place the salmon mixture on top.
Garnish with Kizami nori, Japanese parsley and a sprinkle of crushed tea on top
Bring the water to the boil, add the tea and brew for 2 minutes, strain and add the dashi powder. Add 2 drops of sesame oil and salt if required.
Pour into the bowls of rice and salmon and serve hot.