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5 Secrets to 20 Minute Dinners!
Tips, tricks, and recipes for dinner in a hurry!
Green Tea Rice
This recipe is a simple Japanese rice dish doused in a savory green tea, which is totally refreshing, hearty, and filling on warm summer days.
This recipe is healthy, low in calories and so easy to make at home.
In Japanese recipes, this dish is called ochazuke.
Other Recipes You Might Like
How to Make Green Tea Rice?
This is a simple rice dish made by pouring savory hot green tea over steamed rice. It’s a great way to use leftover rice.
Other than green tea, you might add some Japanese dashi to the rice to jazz up the flavor.
For me, a simple, plain, green tea rice is all I need for a light lunch meal.
What Kind of Green Tea to Use?
For the green tea, you can use any green tea leaves to make the green tea.
The best green tea leaves are called Shincha, which means the year’s very first harvest of green tea.
Shincha is celebrated for its fresh and lively flavor, naturally sweet finish and smooth umami character, which is the best and premium quality green tea.
Benefits and Nutrition of Green Tea
Fresh Shincha leaves are distinct from latter-harvested green tea, with a subtle sweetness attributed to a higher content of the amino acid L-theanine and a lower caffeine content.
The rich and vividly green tea leaves are not only fragrant and fresh in taste, but higher in Vitamin C and catechin antioxidants than regular green tea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Matcha?
I don’t recommend using powdered green tea or matcha green tea to make this recipe.
Can I Use Brown Rice?
Yes, you sure can. Brown rice will make this recipe loaded with more fiber and healthier.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 124 calories per serving.
What to Serve with This Recipe?
Serve this dish with other Japanese dishes. For a healthy meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
Green Tea Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked steamed rice (such as jasmine or short-grain sushi)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons green tea leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- Some thinly sliced scallions
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted white and black sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan, bring the water to a a simmer, add the green tea leaves and salt and turn off the heat. Set aside for 10 minutes. Drain and filter the tea. Discard the green leaves.
- Get a large shallow bowl, put the steamed rice, and add the scallions and sesame seeds on top of the rice. Pour the green tea over the rice and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Being of Japanese ancestry, funny to see a recipe for chazuke. Been eating this since childhood (was born in the 30’s) with all kinds of sides like pickled daikon, cucumbers, umeboshi and so on. One of my favorite lunches and I do use Japanese green tea. It’s really good, people, although I can’t convince some of my non Asian friends!
Hi Nancy, thanks for your sweet comment. Yes green tea rice is so yummy and healthy!
Yummy !!!
I’ve been enjoying Ocha Zuke for the last 70+ years.
Can’t remember when I first had it… I’d guess age 5 or so.
It’s Japanese “comfort” food.
i don’t have access to sincha.. will any brewed green tea work?
Yes
Seems if rice was fresh cooked would be maximum absorbtion? BUT what abt leftover rice? reheat? Maybe in microwave with damp towel? or stove top? what do you suggest
Yes, but you can use leftover rice that’s been reheated in the microwave.
Bee, look at Cooking With Dog’s Tai Chazuke recipe on youtube for a more elaborate preparation. The tai (sea bream) is marinated in a creamy sauce containing sesame and doused in hot tea over the rice, which makes the fish cook just enough. It’s lovely. Salted salmon is also really great in this dish.
Thanks Jordan
Wow, I wonder what this tastes like! I can almost imagine how refreshing it would be. What a novel recipe!
This is so lovely. : )