[Chilled Chazuke in the Midst of the Rainy Season]

"Washing rice that was cooked with such care?" When looking up how to make chilled chazuke (rice with tea/broth poured over it), that was the part that surprised me the most.

Ways of eating similar to chazuke date back to the Heian period, where it was called "suihan" (water rice) or "yuzuke" (hot water rice) as a simple meal of pouring water or hot water over rice. Records remain showing that people ate suihan with cold water poured over it during the hot summer, which feels somewhat connected to today's chilled chazuke.

In the midst of the rainy season, the days are muggy, and midsummer-like sunlight can immediately follow a sudden downpour, leaving a sensation that the body is not keeping up with the changing season. On days when your body feels somewhat heavy, you might want to eat a proper meal to gain energy, yet find yourself lacking an appetite. On such days, chilled chazuke might be just the perfect bowl.

When comparing recipes by culinary researchers and chefs, the one thing they all commonly recommend is to wash the rice first. Whether using warm or cold rice, placing it in a strainer, washing it under running water, and thoroughly draining it removes excess starch from the surface, allowing each grain of rice to separate perfectly. While feeling a bit hesitant about washing freshly cooked rice, actually trying it revealed an astonishing difference. Another important point is to chill the liquid to be poured until it is ice-cold. Whether using tea or dashi broth, the cold liquid flows smoothly into the mouth without making the rice sticky. If the rice is warm or the liquid is lukewarm, the refreshing cool sensation is diminished, so to fully enjoy it as a "chilled chazuke," adding ice cubes feels just right. Using cold green tea or hojicha (roasted green tea), or diluting shiro-dashi (white dashi) with cold water, makes it easy to prepare with whatever is on hand.

For toppings, you can fully enjoy it with what is inside the refrigerator or from your pantry. I tried using canned mackerel in soy sauce flavor with finely chopped cucumber, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, shredded nori seaweed on top, and a splash of shiro-dashi added to cold hojicha. It became a bowl rich in umami, and I felt great potential in this cold chazuke, which I was trying for the first time. Even when cold, the flavor and aroma of the tea come through surprisingly well. You can change the flavor profile just by switching the tea—such as green tea, barley tea, hojicha, genmaicha (brown rice tea), or matcha—and by adding classic toppings like umeboshi (pickled plum), shirasu (boiled whitebait), shiso (perilla leaves), or a touch of wasabi. Chilled chazuke is surprisingly versatile and can be enjoyed depending on what is in the refrigerator that day.

During the rainy season, even without forcing your appetite, the joy of discovering combinations of ingredients might naturally lead you to keep eating. It is perfect for a lunch on a day tired from the damp air, or a dinner after returning home late. Just remember the extra step of washing the rice and preparing the chilled liquid. As long as you pour your favorite tea over toppings with a hint of saltiness, it is something you can try right away.

Chilled chazuke is not as unusual a dish as one might think; it may be a uniquely Japanese meal where the wisdom of the Japanese people, who have lived alongside the summer heat, remains today.

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Reference
https://www.nagatanien.co.jp/brand/ochaduke/history_01_sp.html