Every new year – on the 7th of January – Japanese eat a healthy rice porridge called “Nanakusa-gayu”
This traditional event is for wishing us good health through the year ahead
It is also a day to rest your tired stomach, after the end-of- year and new year meals.
Originally, this porridge style meal originated from China if we search its history.
Today I prepared Nanakusa-gayu in this morning, and enjoyed the porridge with my husband.
Nanakusa-gayu = Seven herbs porridge

What are the ingredients for Nanakusa-gayu?
Here is the recipe for you, if you are interested – please enjoy
RECIPE (for two people)
-Ingredients-
Seven herbs: Water dropwort, Shepherd’s Purse, Cudweed, Chickweed, Nipplewort, Turnip, Radish
Rice 1 CupWater 700ml
Chicken soup stock 1 – 1.5 Tablespoon
1. All of herbs – boiled with water and chopped.
2. Cook rice with water and chicken soup stock – once it’s boiled cook 30-40mins with low heat.
3. Mix porridge and herbs to serve.
As I was unable to locate all of the usual herbs in Australia, I alternated by using these vegetables and herbs instead:
Seven herbs: Broccoli, Bok choy, Spinach, Celery, Japanese leek, Italian parsley, Mizuna
I also added some king oyster mushrooms, and salted kelp.
Wishing everyone’s healthy 2022 year.
