Hello! I’ve been having some stomach issues for a while and I’ve found myself really enjoying some simple Japanese recipes that fall more on the ‘bland’ side of things.
For example – I’ve been eating [Tamago Kake Gohan](https://www.seriouseats.com/tamago-kake-gohan-egg-rice-tkg-recipe-breakfast) quite often for breakfast and [Ochazuke](https://www.justonecookbook.com/ochazuke/) for lunch/dinner. I love how light and simple they are, yet still very nutritious and filling. I’ve also been making miso soup frequently as silken tofu is high in protein and very easy for me to digest. I never feel bloated or sick eating any of these (!) even if I eat large servings 🙂
I am curious to know – What are some other similar ‘simple’ meals like this? What would someone who’s Japanese eat or drink when they’ve got a stomach ache? Thank you in advance 🙂
18 comments
okayu – rice porridge you can make in a rice cooker or pressure cooker – garnish with pickled vegetables or soft boiled egg
drained/cubed tofu sprinkled w/ furikake and shoyu
simmered (nikomi) whitefish – sauce is a combination of shoyu, sake, mirin, water, sugar, ginger. Made it the other day with flounder I got for half-price near closing time and was amazed at how “mild” (bland) it was.
Yudofu, Zaru soba, ski-mi soba, Yaki udon, somen, ramen, Japanese hot pot,
Rice porridge, Okayu. If you have rice cooker cook rice : water =1:5.
Add fish broth and soy sauce to make Zosui.
Udon is another great comfort food. I don’t like powder they come with, I mix soy sauce, fish broth to make soup.
Miso soup is simple and it’s easy on tummy too.
Put cabbage in miso soup, I hear cabbage is good for stomach. おだいじに！
Okayu (as already mentioned), also niku jaga.
I saw a youtube video recently describing Japanese cuisine as “gentle taste” and I think it’s really quaint.
Okayu
Plain white rice
Plain tofu
Shoujin ryouri by definition doesn’t contain strong aromatics or spices.
Miso
When I am not feeling well, I usually go for [Kitsune Udon](https://www.justonecookbook.com/kitsune-udon/) or any warm udon, it has a gentle taste and is just carbs and tofu.
Oyaji… I mean ojiya is nice for the stomach.
Somen with tsuyu dipping sauce (you can boil the somen for just a minute or two and buy the sauce or a concentrate of the sauce in a jar)! More like a snack bc it doesn’t have proteins but it is very easy to make.
Also, i think you’ll love takikomi gohan which is made by throwing vegetables and seasoning in with the rice in the rice cooker. It is not very salty but has a wonderful flavor.
[takikomi gohan recipe](https://www.justonecookbook.com/takikomi-gohan/)
Feel free to sub veg for whatever is on hand!
my go to comfort food when im sick is miso soup and rice! i like to stir it until it gets all thick.
Okayu 1000x
I really enjoy sliced tofu with chopped green onions covered in a little soy sauce or ponzu and sprinkled with shichimi.
Those two dishes you mentioned aren’t terribly bad for you or anything (in moderation – they do have high salt content), but I wouldn’t rely on them to give you many nutrients. They are both rice based and if you are using plain white rice, it has some minerals but not much else. Tamago kake gohan is basically egg and furikake. The egg has some good nutrients but furikake, not so much. Ochazuke can have different toppings, but just the plain old [nagatanien packs don’t have much nutrtition](https://www.nagatanien.com/products/ochazuke/).
I really enjoy ochazuke as well but I just didn’t want you thinking you were getting a ton of nutrients from them!
[Ochazuke!](https://www.justonecookbook.com/ochazuke/)
Zarusoba. Buckwheat is good for digestion.
simple fresh silk tofu to put with miso paste directly
hot japanese rice with salt
Zousui 雑炊 google it