Soy and Rice

[Tim33]

I was told of the other day for putting Soy Sauce on my rice. Is this really rude??

Rice is the most boring food i have ever encountered without Soy it just sucks. I dont understand how anyone can eat plain rice.

Yesturday i went into a restaurant and they gave me a raw egg. I asked what it was for and they mixed it with soy and poured it on my Rice.

Why is this ok?

Anyone else experience such strangness.

[yukio_michael]

Usually, the egg will 'cook' as it were on to of the rice if the rice is served hot enough. Personally, I don't like anything but regular white rice, w/ the exception of the dry packeted seasoning that you shake on top of it--- (I forget the Japanese word)---

I like rice to ballance out the taste of whatever else I am eating, say fish or meat, or that--- it makes the next bite that much more tasty.

I don't kow if it's rude or not, I've eaten raw egg with raw horse meat (amoung other things) as well, so, it's quite common, hopefully adding a little soy to your rice wouldn't be so bad a sin. Personally I find soy a little salty at times, but I use it in cooking quite a bit.

[Clawn]

I love soy sauce (as well as salt and meat!) so I see no reason why ot to put it on your rice, chicken, noodles, pork, soy sauce, etc. As far as I know about customs and culture (which isn't far, mind you) it isn't considered wrong to put soy sauce on white rice. ^_^

[ullvarg]

Im'm no expert on the subjekt, but i've read on several diffrent pages that you shoud never mix wite rice with soy sauce, hovever if you have some other sauce like cury sauce mixed with the rice it's ok to por soy sauce on it.

[ArmandV]

Why should it be any different than dipping a sushi roll in soy sauce? There's white rice there! I've always put soy sauce in my white rice.

It is like that debate over asking for ketchup at a French restaurant or what "Dirty Harry" said in "Sudden Impact": "Nobody but nobody puts ketchup on a hot dog!"

[ullvarg]

I don't know if this or my previous post is comon practice, but u ain't suposed to let the rice part of your sushi tutch the soy sauce eather, just the non rice part.
But as i said this is just stuff i've read on several difrent swedish japan sites, so this is nothing i got any good knowledge about.
Maby it's something like the rule (atleast here in sweden) that your not suposed to put your elbows on the tabel, but no one follows it because it's a outdated rule.

[Timsan]

i have always put soy sauce on my white rice. its a little boring and dry without it

[yukio_michael]

Originally Posted by ArmandV

It is like that debate over asking for ketchup at a French restaurant or what "Dirty Harry" said in "Sudden Impact": "Nobody but nobody puts ketchup on a hot dog!"

I did get a laugh out of the waiter when I was in the Netherlands for asking for ketchup for fries--- I don't think it's some sort of hallowed act, but it's enough of a staple to warrent a laugh I suppose...

Also, everyone knows that once you grow up, mustard is the perfered condiment on hot-dogs! ;)

[Pachipro]

Originally Posted by Tim33

I was told of the other day for putting Soy Sauce on my rice. Is this really rude??

No it is not rude. Just strange to the Japanese.

When I first went to Japan and began eating regularly at my girlfriends house I also put soy sauce on my rice as I too found the taste way to bland. Every one laughed, but I no one said I shouldn't. They just thought it strange.

As with sushi, I cannot remember when I first came to savor just plain rice. Maybe it was when I began to learn "how to eat" Japanese, I'm not sure. Anyway, today I take a piece of whatever we are eating, be it pork, fish, or vegetables, and put it in the rice bowl where I then take a bit of rice and eat both together. Now that's good.

However, in my in-laws house, there is the Japanese custom of eating a bowl of rice as the last dish with dinner. When the rice is served, it means dinner is over. (I've also noticed this at other Japanese houses where I was invited for dinner.) But by that time I am usually too full to eat any rice. On the other hand, it is not so with breakfast as a bowl of rice is usually served along with the meal of soup, fish, vegetables or last nights left overs. I never asked why this is so.

[MeAndroo]

As with sushi, I cannot remember when I first came to savor just plain rice. Maybe it was when I began to learn "how to eat" Japanese, I'm not sure. Anyway, today I take a piece of whatever we are eating, be it pork, fish, or vegetables, and put it in the rice bowl where I then take a bit of rice and eat both together. Now that's good.

It sure is. I've eaten plain rice as well, sometimes for a whole meal during my poorer college days in the midst of Lent.

Instead of soy sauce, I prefer some good furikake on my rice.

[Tim33]

Originally Posted by ullvarg

Im'm no expert on the subjekt, but i've read on several diffrent pages that you shoud never mix wite rice with soy sauce, hovever if you have some other sauce like cury sauce mixed with the rice it's ok to por soy sauce on it.

NA you cant put curry sauce with rice unless its japanese curry sause. Indian curry sauce etc is wrong to put with rice in Japan. Only Nan and indian curry sauce. I could not believe this about a japanese indian curry restaurant.

[ullvarg]

lol, some of these rules got no meaning at all. I'm just wondering do u know why u cant mix indian curry with rice in Japan wile u can do it with japanese curry.

[pipokun]

Originally Posted by Pachipro

No it is not rude. Just strange to the Japanese.

Yes, you're right. Just like potatoes (maybe +mayo) on a pizza here.

Originally Posted by Pachipro

However, in my in-laws house, there is the Japanese custom of eating a bowl of rice as the last dish with dinner. When the rice is served, it means dinner is over. (I've also noticed this at other Japanese houses where I was invited for dinner.) But by that time I am usually too full to eat any rice. On the other hand, it is not so with breakfast as a bowl of rice is usually served along with the meal of soup, fish, vegetables or last nights left overs. I never asked why this is so.

Maybe in somewhere in the Shikoku island? I heard the traditon still remains with big plates of dishes to treat guests.
White rice used to be precious ages ago, so rice as the last meal was to show a good treatment to their guest, though white rice is everywhere and some choose unpolished rice for their healthy diet now.

[pipokun]

Soy+rice is better than mayo+rice, I suppose. There're so many mayo-addicted here. Even some like only mayo as a snack.

[Tim33]

Originally Posted by ullvarg

lol, some of these rules got no meaning at all. I'm just wondering do u know why u cant mix indian curry with rice in Japan wile u can do it with japanese curry.

No one has given me any good reason yet other than "Its just not done, are you some kind of weirdo"

[yukio_michael]

Originally Posted by pipokun

Soy+rice is better than mayo+rice, I suppose. There're so many mayo-addicted here. Even some like only mayo as a snack.

There entirely TOO much mayo... second only to ebi. I'm sure somewhere there is a confectioner who makes ebi-mayo ice-cream.

[xerxes99]

Originally Posted by yukio_neko^_o

There entirely TOO much mayo... second only to ebi. I'm sure somewhere there is a confectioner who makes ebi-mayo ice-cream.

I was shocked the first time I saw corn and mayo sushi.

[*Ev3*]

uueew .. i dislike mayo !

Originally Posted by yukio_michael

I'm sure somewhere there is a confectioner who makes ebi-mayo ice-cream.

that's funny !
eek - i don't want to think of it, though .. ><

[Minty]

It appears a lot of westerners like to put Soya sauce on their rice, my husband does that.

I suppose not every food is supposed to have Soya sauce taste when you eat it, if you do that all food will taste with Soya flavours.

[Kara_Nari]

My friends father (Korean) loves Peanut butter and rice.

If im hungry, and there is a shortage of time, or food in the fridge, I will eat rice with soy and mayo.... and kimchi ^^

I only just recently was told off for putting my spoon of rice into Kimchi jjigae (kimuchi nabe in japan)... I thought it was more rude for me to put my rice (the whole bowl) in the soup or soup on rice... so I always had a habit of doing it this way. Im talking about my own personal bowl... not a shared big dish of soup.
Its nice to have rice soaking up in yummy soup juices.

[Precious4e]

I don't think its 'rude' to put soy sauce in rice,just weird.
I dont eat rice plain, I always have other dishes accompanying it so the rice would balance out the tastes of the other dishes. I'ts like a staple food. So I guess when japanese/asian people see others putting soy sauce in rice, its just unneccessary.

[Minty]

Originally Posted by Kara_Nari

My friends father (Korean) loves Peanut butter and rice.
If im hungry, and there is a shortage of time, or food in the fridge, I will eat rice with soy and mayo.... and kimchi ^^

Hmm soya, mayo and kimchi eh, I might try that some times.

I only just recently was told off for putting my spoon of rice into Kimchi jjigae (kimuchi nabe in japan)... I thought it was more rude for me to put my rice (the whole bowl) in the soup or soup on rice... so I always had a habit of doing it this way. Im talking about my own personal bowl... not a shared big dish of soup.
Its nice to have rice soaking up in yummy soup juices.

You know that's what Chinese people do with their kids, the rice in a soup method seems easier for them to feed their kids, as the soup makes the food more liquid.

[Minty]

Originally Posted by Precious4e

I don't think its 'rude' to put soy sauce in rice,just weird.
I dont eat rice plain, I always have other dishes accompanying it so the rice would balance out the tastes of the other dishes. I'ts like a staple food. So I guess when japanese/asian people see others putting soy sauce in rice, its just unneccessary.

I don't think anybody does, unless they are on diet or something. Yes rice is a staple food it goes with all sorts of dishes and each dish has it’s own taste so putting soy sauce on rice will just make every side dishes eaten with rice to have Soya sauce taste which is not supposed to be.

[Tollen]

soy sauce goes with everything ^_^ this includes chicken + stuffing sandwiches ... mmm... oh and gravy ^_^ and mash potatoe... oh and burgers... mmm

[dangdaga]

lol, some of these rules got no meaning at all. I'm just wondering do u know why u cant mix indian curry with rice in Japan wile u can do it with japanese curry.