Chameshi: Green Tea Rice Recipe using Ito-En Oi Ocha
I wrote about Japan’s top-selling green tea PET bottle, Ito-En Oi Ocha (伊藤園 おーいお茶), in this article the other day.
The Japanese green tea has a gentle, smooth taste and is very easy to drink. Besides, it goes well in various dishes thanks to its mild flavor.
In fact, many recipes listed on Ito-En’s official Japanese website use Oi Ocha green tea, out of which, today, I will introduce an easy Chameshi (茶飯) recipe.
Cha-Meshi (茶飯)
Cha-Meshi, literally Tea Rice, is a unique Japanese rice bowl dish made of non-glutinous Uruchi rice boiled in green tea (typically, Sencha or Hojicha) lightly seasoned with salt.
In addition to having a slightly salty taste, the cooked rice is characterized by its subtle green tea scent, known as a local specialty of Nara Prefecture.
As you can guess from the above, Chameshi is easy to make; Just with Ito-En’s regular Oi Ocha unsweetened green tea, you can effortlessly prepare authentic Japanese Chameshi rice.
Are you curious? For those who answer yes, here are the cooking instructions.
Recipe using Ito-En Oi Ocha
(Image and Source: itoen.co.jp)
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Polished rice | 300 grams |
| Oi Ocha Unsweetened Green Tea | 440 cc |
| Sake rice wine | 1 tablespoon |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon |
- Wash the rice in water.
- Combine the rice with the salt, sake, and Ito-En Oi Ocha, and boil it.
- Serve the cooked rice in a bowl and enjoy the Chameshi!
