Seven-herb Rice Porridge

It's a Japanese custom to eat nanakusa-gayu (seven-herb rice porridge) on January 7th, praying for good health. Seven harbs include seri (water dropwort), nazuna (Shepherd's purse), gogyou (Cudweed), hakobera (Chickweed), hotokenoza (Nipplewort), suzuna (turnip), and suzushiro (daikon radish). Okayu (rice porridge) is easy to digest, so nanakusa-gayu is a good meal to eat after holiday feasts. Seven herbs are sold at supermarkets in Japan, but they might not be available in your areas. Try using radishes and some leaf vegetables as substitutes.

Okayu Recipe

Japanese Rice

Japanese Rice Recipes
_{Nanakusa-gayu Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com, Inc.}