Nara Chameshi (Hojicha Rice with Soybeans)

Name: Nara Chameshi (Hojicha Rice with Soybeans)
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: Japanese short-grain rice 2 rice-cups; dried soybeans 40 g; hojicha tea leaves 4 g; water 600 ml; salt 4 g

Quick answer

Total time: 100 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 5

About this dish

Rice cooked in cooled hojicha instead of water takes on a quiet roasted aroma, and dry-roasted soybeans add a nutty bite.

Its early form is said to be the rice served with tea porridge to monks taking part in Omizutori at Todaiji. Travelers later carried it to Edo, where shops near Sensoji made it widely known. The beans and salt are scattered over the soaked rice and left unstirred while it cooks.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

Japanese short-grain rice2 rice-cups

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Reserve 100ml of the 600ml water for the soybeans.

Bring the remaining 500ml to a boil, add 4g hojicha leaves, simmer on low for 2 minutes, turn off the heat, and steep for 3 minutes. Fine-strain and cool completely to room temperature.
2

Place 40g dried soybeans in a dry pan and roast slowly over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes.

As soon as some skins crack and the beans smell nutty, transfer them into the reserved 100ml water and soak for 5 minutes.
3

Rub the soaked soybeans gently between both palms to loosen the cracked skins.

Skim off the floating skins, then drain the beans thoroughly in a sieve.
4

Rinse 2 rice-cups rice until the water is nearly clear and drain in a sieve for 10 minutes.

Put it in a rice cooker, add the completely cooled hojicha to the 2-cup line, and let the rice soak for 30 minutes.
5

Scatter the peeled soybeans and 4g salt evenly over the soaked rice without stirring.

Cook on the regular white-rice setting, then keep the lid closed and rest for 10 minutes after the cycle finishes.
6

Insert the paddle down to the bottom and turn the rice over four to six times to distribute the beans and release steam.

Serve warm. If not holding it hot, spread leftovers in a shallow container, cool, and refrigerate within 2 hours.