About food in Japan: Ochazuke (お茶漬け)

07 February 2010

Ochazuke (お茶漬け) - En (えん)

Ochazuke (お茶漬け) is very casual meal or snack traditionally prepared in Japanese home.

Typical recipe is a bowl of rice with some topping such as a few pieces of salmon, pickles, sour plum or seaweed and added tea as soup. It is often served as light and last food after a long lasting day.

The stereo-type of Ochazuke scene is one for a dad who has been back to home after a tiring big party with lots of alcohol drinks. He finishes his long day with the homey cozy food. The cooked rice does not have to be warm, as hot tea makes it warm in the bowl. His wife only needs to add ingredients as well as boiled water or tea to a rice bowl. That is an instant light meal. Instead it had been rare that we have Ochazuke out of home until we see this casual, "fast food" restaurant.

Dashi-chazuke "En" (だし茶漬け　えん) is specialized Ochazuke menu but provides several selections of seasonal fresh ingredients to be added to your Ochazuke bowl. Whether it is seafood, vegetables or others, they are fresh and high quality ones. Another point making thier Ochazuke different from what we have at home is "だし"(dashi, Japanese traditional soup stock) prepared professionally by the master chef and poured into the bowl. Here Ochazuke is upgraded from homely light meal to something more than fast food. It is a healthy and right choice for lunch or breakfast maybe.

"En" runs its unit at Narita International Airport. Here I had special Ochazuke exclusively available at this Airport branch - Ochazuke with Eel ...the fish is normally available at upscale restaurant.