On September 19th, the first "Nakase Genmai Omusubi Iroha" store opened on the first floor of the newly opened WACCA IKEBUKURO shopping complex in Ikebukuro.
"Nakase Genmai" is brown rice cooked with brown rice, red beans, and a little salt in a pressure cooker, then left to age for four days. Not only does it have a chewy, sticky texture like steamed rice, but it's also rich in nutrients—about six times the dietary fiber and about ten times the vitamins—compared to white rice. This has led to an increasing number of people, especially women who care about their health and beauty, making "Nakase Genmai" at home. Furthermore, compared to regular brown rice, the enzymes are more active, making it easier to digest and absorb the beneficial vitamins and minerals contained in the germ. It also helps replenish the enzymes lost in the body through daily life.
However, cooking and aging it can be a time-consuming process. After soaking the brown rice and red beans in the correct amount of water, add salt, and turn on the pressure cooker. Once cooked, the rice is steamed for a while, then transferred to a thermos jar and kept warm for several days. After that, it's stirred once a day and left to rest for three days, reaching peak flavor on the fourth day. While many internet sites offer recipes, including those from Satomi Ishihara, Rola, and Takuya Kimura, have publicly declared themselves "addicted," it seems like it would be difficult to keep up with. That's why many women are sure to cheer on the store's arrival, saying, "We've been waiting for this!" Of course, the store's ingredients are also highly selective, using red beans from Tokachi, Hokkaido, and natural salt from Sanuki, Setouchi. The rice is cooked using 100% specially cultivated brown rice delivered directly from the farm. The rice ball menu includes the basic salt rice ball (148 yen) as well as 12 varieties (starting at 213 yen) with special toppings such as seared oysters, perilla seeds, and soft-boiled seasoned eggs. They also offer special miso soup (185 yen) and daily special obanzai (side dishes) (starting from 139 yen). They also have the "Omusubi Set" (630 yen) which includes two rice balls and miso soup, the "Iroha Set" (694 yen) which includes two rice balls, miso soup and side dishes, and a wide selection of drinks. Other must-try dishes include the "Aged Brown Rice Three Brothers," which includes rice balls made with aged brown rice, mixed rice balls, and thick rolls. Opening hours are from 8:00 to 21:00. Start your day with breakfast, or stop by on your way home for a relaxing break.
