Nanakusa Gayu (Spring 7 Herb Soup)

Nanakusa Gayu (七草粥) is a rice soup eaten on January 7 every year. They symbolize the new life that will come in the spring and it is believed that by eating this soup you will be in good health for the coming year.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooked: 30 mins

Chilled: 40 mins

Total: 80 minutes

rice, soup

Japanese cuisine

Servings: 2 people

Utensils :

• Heavy-bottomed pot or pan
• rice bowl

Ingredients :

For the potage or rice soup

• ½ Bowl uncooked short-grain rice (preferably Japanese rice)
• 500 ml Water
• salt to taste

For the Nanakusa soup

• 7 Nanakusa herbs (or 7 you prefer) chopped

Instructions :

1. Add ¼ cup (50 g) of short-grain rice to a bowl and rinse with water while gently rubbing the rice with your hands. Repeat until the water runs clear and drain.
2. Put the rice in a pot (preferably clay) or a heavy-bottomed pot, add 250 ml of water and cover with a lid. Soak the rice for at least 30 minutes. Tip: with a thick-bottomed pot, the heat is distributed evenly.
3. Bring the rice to a boil in the pot over medium-high heat. You can open the lid to check the doneness during this time.
4. As soon as it’s boiling, gently stir with the spoon once, making sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Then turn the heat down to the lowest setting on the stove, cover and cook the rice over low heat for 25-30 minutes. At this time, please do not open the lid or mix the rice.
5. After 25-30 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes for the last of the steam to cook. The rice should be soft and thickened.
6. Add the nanakusa (preferably fresh) and mix gently. Sprinkle salt to taste and voila! Enjoy!