PORRIDGE

- You may cook porridge from leftover cooked grain by adding 2-3 times the amount of water and boiling it gently (covered with a lid) until it softens and becomes a porridge-like consistency. You may eat this porridge with crumbled toasted nori, an umeboshi plum, gomashio or other condiments.

- You may complement your breakfast with a variety of quickly boiled vegetables (Chinese cabbage, leafy greens, etc.) and miso soup if you wish.





MISO/VEGETABLE PORRIDGE

- Add a variety of finely chopped vegetables to leftover rice and cook as above.

- Dilute some miso in a small amount of water (about _ teaspoon of miso paste per cup of porridge) and add toward the end of cooking for seasoning.

- Please use a light hand when using the miso. The porridge should not taste salty.





GENUINE BROWN RICE CREAM

This rice cream is especially good for: people who are weak or who have no appetite or vitality, people who cannot chew because of illness, sick children, or breaking a fast.

1. Dry-roast one cup of washed brown rice in a cast iron or stainless steel skillet over a medium flame, until golden brown.

2. Bring the rice to a boil with 10 cups of water and a pinch of sea salt.

3. Cover, place the pot on a flame deflector, and turn the flame to low.

4. Cook for about two hours until water is about _ the original amount.

5. Let the rice cool sufficiently to be handled.

6. Place the rice in a cheesecloth or clean unbleached muslin cloth, tie and squeeze out the creamy liquid into a pot.

7. Reheat the creamy liquid and serve with or without condiments.

VARIATION: This dish may also be prepared by pressure-cooking the rice for an hour with five times more water than rice. Then proceed with steps five to seven.





MEDIUM GRAIN BROWN RICE WITH HATO MUGI (PRESSURE COOKED)

1- 1/2 c medium grain rice
1/2 c hato mugi (pearl barley) soaked 3-4 hours in 1 cup water
3 c water 2" kombu

1. Place washed rice, soaked hato mugi (with soaking water), kombu and 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Bring up to pressure on a higher flame. Use a flame deflector under the pressure cooker and lower the flame just enough to keep up the pressure.

2. Cook for 45-50 minutes. Let pressure come down naturally and let sit for about 2-3 minutes after opening the cover. Dish out the grain gently into a wooden bowl.

For a breakfast grain, more water can be added to make porridge, as well as some sweet vegetables.





WHOLE OATS (PRESSURE COOKED)

1 c whole oats
4-5 c water
1 pinch sea salt

1. Soak washed oats overnight (SON). This will make the grain cook faster in the morning. If not using the soaking method, the grain can be dry roasted before cooking.

2. In the morning, place all ingredients in the pressure cooker, place on a high flame and bring up to pressure. Reduce flame to low and cook for 1 hour.





BUCKWHEAT WITH SAUTÉED VEGETABLES

1 c buckwheat
2 c water
1 pinch sea salt
1 t tamari shoyu/soy sauce
1c cabbage – finely sliced
1c carrots – matchsticks
parsley to garnish

1. Dry roast washed buckwheat in a frying pan for a few minutes.

2. Sauté vegetables in sesame oil for 3-4 minutes and season with a little tamari soy sauce. Place buckwheat on top of the vegetables.

3. Bring the water to a boil and add the buckwheat and vegetables. Add a pinch of salt and bring everything up to a boil again. Lower the flame and simmer for 25-30 minutes. The water should be totally absorbed.

4. Garnish and serve.





SOFT MILLET WITH SWEET VEGETABLES (ONIONS, SQUASH, CABBAGE)

1/3 c millet
1-1/2 c water
1/3 c butternut squash, cut into 1" chunks
1/4 c cabbage, cut into 1 " chunks
1/4 c onions, diced

pinch of sea salt per cup of rice

1. Choose a heavier pot and layer onions, cabbage, and squash. Then place the washed millet over the vegetables and add the water and salt. Cover, bring to a boil and lower the flame. Simmer 30-40 minutes until the millet is nice and creamy.

2. Serve and garnish with condiment.

VARIATION: For a speedy preparation, this dish can also be pressure cooked for about 15-18 minutes.





RICE WITH AZUKI BEANS

2 T azuki beans
2 c water
1 c brown rice

pinch of sea salt per cup of rice

1. Wash the azuki beans and boil them in about 2 cups of water for 10-15 minutes. Use a timer to ensure that the beans are not overcooked. The water should be a rich red color. After boiling, let beans and liquid cool to lukewarm.

2. Wash rice quickly in cold water, until water is clear. Put in pressure cooker. Add beans to rice. Add water that the beans boiled in, plus enough additional water to total 5 cups. Do not add salt yet.

3. Put the uncovered pressure cooker on low heat for 15 – 20 minutes, until bubles appear. Add pinch of sea salt. Place cover on pressure cooker and bring up to pressure. When pressure is up, reduce heat to medium low. Put a flame deflector under the pressure cooker and cook the rice and beans for approximately 50 minutes.

4. Remove the cover when the pressure is completely and naturally down. Let the rice sit for 5 minutes (to loosen the rice on the bottom of the pot). Remove the rice and beans and serve.