So a few days ago, the weather severely dropped in the south meaning its officially cold and flu season. Stick with me until the end for some tips and tricks on how to beat the sickness! As someone who doesn't take care of their health as well as they should (sorry mom), I started feeling a bit ill so I decided to try and recreate okayu! Okayu is a Japanese rice dish commonly served to someone who is suffering with a cold and is sick in bed. This dish is seen in many animes (Japanese animated shows) and Japanese movies, like Kiki's Delivery Service!
Though I would have loved to have someone make this dish for me and serve it to me in bed, I unfortunately live alone so I had to made it for myself.
So before I could get started, I had to find a recipe because I have no idea what I'm doing and no idea where to start. I was able to find this very helpful recipe on a blog titled Just One Cookbook! They have a bunch of other easy Japanese recipes as well.
While Okayu is present in many Japanese media, I remember it distinctly in the Studio Ghibli film Kiki's Delivery Service. I haven't seen this film in years, however Studio Ghibli has always remained present in my mind because of their gorgeous animation and fantastical stories.
Kiki's Delivery Service follows thirteen year old Kiki who moves with her cat Jiji to an ocean town where she heard she could spend a year alone as a witch in training! After she learns to get control of her broomstick, she sets up a courier service for the town and is soon known by many. She struggles with insecurities when she doubts her own magic abilities and she must overcome these worries to get her witch powers back!
After delivering a note in the rain (not a smart move, Kiki), Kiki comes down with a cold. Osono, a motherly figure to Kiki, makes her a bowl of Okayu or rice porridge. The animation is so smooth and aesthetically pleasing, especially for 1989. This movie taught me to be determined, but to also remember to take breaks for self care. It also taught me to recognize my limits, yet to also shoot for the stars and I am forever grateful for it.
So now, the recipe!
I started out by grabbing all the ingredients and kitchenware I needed to make this meal possible!
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup uncooked short-grain rice (preferably Japanese)
- 1 cup and 2 tablespoons water
We are doing a 1:5 ratio for a thicker consistency! It would definitely be easier to make this with a larger serving size, but since I'm one person cooking for one person, I'm sticking to this. Instructions:
Gather all your ingredients and kitchenware! You're going to need a pot with a lid, a spoon to stir with as well as a couple measuring cups.
Rinse the rice in water until the water runs clear
Leave the rice to soak in a water bath for at least 30 minutes. I'm sure you could do more but I don't really know what happens when it sits longer...
After time is up, drain all the water from the water bath!
Then add your 1 cup and 2 tablespoons (250ml) of water to the soaked rice
Cover the pot and bring it to a boil on high heat
Once boiling, LOWER THE TEMPERATURE TO THE LOWEST SETTING! I put this in caps because I lowered the temperature, but not to the lowest possible setting and the water boiled over onto my stove :( rookie mistake I guess
Uncover and stir just to make sure no rice is stuck to the bottom of your pot and then cover it right back up again!
Leave the rice to simmer for 30 minutes! Don't uncover it or mix the rice, I promise it's not necessary! Also it can ruin the kernel shape of the rice!
After 30 minutes, turn the heat off and let the rice steam for 10 minutes! It should be about the consistency of oatmeal, nice and thick.
At this point, feel free to top your Okayu with whatever you'd like! I opted for some fresh scallions (green onions) and a fried egg for some protein, but you can also eat it plain!
Remember to keep yourself happy and healthy these upcoming seasons! If on the off chance you do get sick, here's some helpful tips!
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