[Porridge]
Although porridge is usually eaten when the stomach is a little weak or when one has a cold, some people eat it regularly for health and physical condition, as it is easy to digest and warms the body.
Archaeologists believe that the rice scorch marks and spilled rice seen on Yayoi earthenware excavated in Japan were caused by cooking rice porridge. When rice cultivation first began, rice was generally cooked by boiling, then steamed, and only in the Middle Ages did people begin to cook rice in pots, but porridge made by boiling rice has a long history.
In ancient times, however, there were two types of porridge: katagayu (hard rice porridge) and shirukayu (soup porridge). It is interesting to note that the word "porridge" today refers to soup porridge, but what we now call "white rice" was also called "porridge."
Buddhism teaches that porridge has ten noble virtues, and its benefits have been handed down for nearly 800 years. One of them is "Not to overeat and to have peace of mind." Cooking porridge with more water increases its bulk, and a bowlful of porridge, the same as a bowl of rice, is enough to give you a sense of satisfaction. In addition, eating porridge slowly with chopsticks while allowing the hot porridge to cool helps prevent "fast eating" and "blasting eating," which tend to put a strain on the body. Certainly, there is no upset stomach or the discomfort caused by overeating. The reason why porridge is said to be effective for weight loss is not only because of its calorie content but also because of this natural way of eating that allows you to be satisfied even with a small amount of food.
Recently, I have been making porridge using Matsuyama Tokojo's Yukihira Pot #5. I love the smell of the porridge while it is cooking, the joy of scooping the porridge when it is ideally done, and the feeling of happiness when I slowly bring it to my mouth while allowing it to cool down. The live experience is irresistible. The traditional yukihira pot, using only heat-resistant clay from Iga, stores heat well, so you can enjoy your porridge warm to the end, even after you turn off the heat. And, while cooking porridge, it often happens that it accidentally spills... This Yukihira Pot can cook porridge in a way that causes as few spills as possible, so if you have one, please give it a try.
Ingredients (for 2 servings):
1/2 cup rice
550 ml water
Directions:
1. Wash rice with water and let it absorb water for 30 minutes (summer) to 1 hour (winter).
2. Put the rice and water into a yukihira pot.
3. Place 2 uncovered over high heat.
4. When the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on. If the water spills over, move the lid slightly.
5. When the desired amount of water is reached, turn off the heat and stir the rice only once from the bottom. (If you stir too much, the rice will fall apart and become sticky.)
Matsuyama Tokojo's Yukihira Pot #5
https://www.shokunin.com/en/matsuyama/
Honma Kazuo Shoten's Straw Pot Stand S
https://www.shokunin.com/en/honma/nabeshiki.html
Hakusan Porcelain's Hirachawan ST16
https://www.shokunin.com/en/hakusan/hirachawan.html
The seven herbs porridge and the benefits of porridge
https://en.shokunin.com/archives/45783892.html
References
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B2%A5
https://okayuworld.com/study/kojien/#index_id8
https://www.komenet.jp/bunkatorekishi/bunkatorekishi04/bunkatorekishi04_2
