Nanakusa gayu served in a vermillion-lacquered bowl

Nanakusa gayu is served on Jinjitsu no Sekku, on January 7. In Japanese cuisine, while there are so many dishes that take advantage of umami of soup stock, nanakusa gayu uses no soup stock. With nanakusa gayu featuring a gentle and mild taste, it is designed to help ease gastrointestinal fatigue due to New Year’s feast. It may be also a good idea to add a little bit of nukazuke (vegetables pickled in salted rice bran), asazuke (lightly pickled vegetables) or salted kelp full of umami on a small plate to give an accent to the porridge’s plain taste.