Nang Chong Stories : Tea Rice

Whenever my maternal grandmother was not feeling well, she would lose her appetite and she would make herself a bowl of tea rice.

It was also something she would do whenever the younger generation upset her or when she found something she was unhappy about.

Compare this Japanese Restaurant Ochaauke with my grandmother's Da Buong below.

It was very symbolic that all was not well with her.

Our Nang Chong tea rice  (da buong) was very simple.

 

1. scrape the bottom of the rice pot for the crust of the rice and place in your bowl.
2. Pour hot tea over the rice crust.
3. Add a few slices of salted fish on the top.
4. Other condiments include peanuts and may be a good slice of fried egg, some fried seaweed.


When Japanese food outlets came to the shores of Sarawak, we realised that this ochazuke or tea rice was a restaurant food for travellers in Japan.

Where did tea rice originate?

To me it is an excellent way not to waste our rice, especially the fragrant crust. Love our earth, love our farms, don't waste!!