Ochazuke: Comfort Food

 I had this made for me recently when I wasn't feeling well and had almost no appetite. It works perfectly. If you're not feeling well or don't have an appetite this Japanese comfort food is perfect. Simply, it is rice with green tea. Put the rice in a serving bowl for one, garnish with pickles or other items (flaked fish) if you like, pour hot green tea over it. I had mine made with genmaicha which I liked.

Soy Sauce: A Key

The more Asian cooking I do, the more varied the ingredients become and it is often difficult to tell them apart. Here's my own key to soy sauce:

• Koikuchi Shoyu (Regular Soy Sauce) - This is dark. The regular soy sauce easily found. I use this often.
• Usukuchi Shoyu (Light Soy Sauce) - This is lighter but saltier. I usually cook with this. If you are in the store in the US, usually you can tell the difference if the labels are not in English by bottle color. Koikuchi tends to be bottled in red; usukuchi in yellow.
• Shiro Shoyu (White Soy Sauce) - I have never found this but have only had one occasion where it has been called for. 

Apparently, you can dilute soy sauce with dashi or sake to cut the salt/color if the above are unavailable. I usually only keep koikuchi and usukuchi on hand. Anyone who knows where to obtain shiro shoyu, leave me a note!