Rice porridge for what ails you

Right now, I fear I will catch what the hubby has (fever, aches, and coughs). He never gets this sick usually. I’m keeping him hydrated, and made rice porridge (not the one pictured, that was from weeks ago). By the time he’s better, my immune system will probably give in. And this will be his instructions. I don’t expect him to be able to make anything more than just the rice porridge part.

Rice porridge

• Dashi:
• 2 quarts water
• 5x8inch piece of kombu
• 1/2 cup bonito flakes

• 1 1/2 cup white rice (long or short grain)

 small cooked piece of kombu, used bonito tea bag, pack of tea bags

Put water, kombu and bonito flakes (in tea bag/dashi bag/or tied up cheese cloth) in pot. Cover, bring to a boil on medium, let simmer for a minute or two, then turn off heat, and remove the kombu and bonito package. Kombu will expand when cooked. For a vegan dashi; use kombu and one dried shitake mushroom. Or simply make it with only water.

Rinse rice with cold water and add to dashi. If using a regular pot on stovetop, bring to boil and let simmer on low for 90mins to 2hrs. When using a rice cooker you can just put it in and let it run on porridge mode, but make sure you know what the maximum capacity for porridge is. If using a pressure cooker (making sure you are well with in the max fill line) secure the lid, and bring to a boil, locking in the lid. On medium low, let it cook for 20-25mins. After turning off the heat and letting the pressure dissipate, take the lid off, stir (add more water if it seems to be too thick) and simmer for another 5-10mins.

Kombu enoki relish

• Kombu leftover from dashi
• 1 large package of enoki (about 1 3/4 cup worth when chopped)
• 3/4 cup water
• 3-4 tbsp of soy sauce
• 2 tbsp of mirin
• dash of sansho pepper

Cut kombu into small 1/2 -3/4 inch pieces. Cut enoki into 3/4 -1 inch long segments. Combine kombu, enoki with water, soy, mirin in small pot and bring to a boil, simmer on medium till the liquid is mostly gone and you are left with a syrupy sauce. Sprinkle on sansho pepper at the end.

Nori sauce

• 4 sheets of nori, torn into small pieces
• 2 shitake mushrooms sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/4 water
• 2 tbsp of soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp sake (optional)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Combine nori, mushrooms, soy, mirin, sake, and water in small pot and bring to a boil, simmer on medium till the liquid is mostly gone and you are left with a syrupy sauce. Sprinkle on sesame seeds at the end.

Spinach with sesame

• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 2 tsp oil (olive or canola)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp salt

Heat skillet on medium high, add oil, garlic and sesame seeds, then add in the spinach. Stir and cook till spinach just wilts, turn off heat, add in salt and sesame oil, toss and mix well.

Addition sides

• ume (umeboshi)
• fish (hot smoked mackerel or salmon, fish cake)
• egg (hard/soft boiled)
• edamame

Wish spring was here already.