When you hear "Okinawan home cooking," what comes to mind?
Goya champuru? Rafute? ...That's right! We absolutely can't forget "juicy"!

As many of you may know, Jushi is Okinawan-style mixed rice. It's a dish that is really commonly eaten in Okinawa, and people eat it on the winter solstice to pray for good health throughout the year. In fact, supermarkets in Okinawa designate the 14th of every month as "Jushi Day."

For this taste test, we compared eight different types of "Jushi mixes," which allow you to easily make Jushi, a super popular Okinawan home-style dish!
You can buy it at supermarkets throughout the prefecture, as well as at souvenir shops. Now, let's begin our taste test of Jushi, the soul food of Okinawan people!

<Lineup>
0. Introduction
1. Okiham | Home-style Juicy Mix
2. Okinawa Hormel | Jushi Mix
3. Sun Foods | Okinawa-style mixed rice seasoning mix (Jushi)
4. Marukyo Shokusan | Butcher's Juicy Base
5. Lawson Select | Okinawa-style mixed rice (Jushi) mix
6. Nanto Bussan | Squid Ink Juicy Mix
7. Ie Fisheries Cooperative | Ie Island's proud squid ink Jushi
8. Maruchan | Okinawa Home-Style Jushi
9. Summary

In this taste test, we evaluated the "ingredients" and "saltiness" on a 5-star scale.

As is often the case, this review will be based solely on the author's personal opinions and biases. Please forgive any inaccuracies.

Also, since most of the products we compared recommended adding "salad oil" and "green onions," we've included reviews with added salad oil. For your reference.

【evaluation】
Ingredients: ★★★★★
Saltiness: ★★★☆☆

When it comes to Okinawan Jushi mix, the go-to is "Ofukuro no Aji Jushi no Moto" from Koreoki Ham (Okinawa Ham).
As a major product that supports Okinawan cuisine, it boasts a consistently excellent taste and quality that truly embodies the essence of Jushi.

This dish is packed with ingredients, including pork, hijiki seaweed, shiitake mushrooms, and carrots, making it delicious in every way, even down to the texture. The overall saltiness is just right, so it won't overpower other dishes in your daily meals.

It's delicious as is, but adding salad oil gives it an even milder flavor. It tastes great even when cold, so it's perfect for bento boxes and rice balls.

In addition to the standard flavor, there are variations such as "Fuchiba (mugwort) Jushi mix" and "Local chicken Jushi mix."

【evaluation】
Ingredients: ★★★☆☆
Saltiness: ★★★☆☆

This is another super popular product: Okinawa Hormel's "Jushi Mix." Like Okiham, it's a brand that supports Okinawan cuisine.

The ingredients are a little sparse, but it's similar to the mixed rice dishes you'd find on the mainland, and it's very easy to eat and delicious.
The rice has a slightly strong lard smell when freshly cooked, but it becomes less noticeable after letting it steam for a while.

Adding vegetable oil will mellow the lard's aroma, so it's recommended if you want to eat it immediately after it's cooked.

Incidentally, in this taste test, adding salad oil made it by far the most delicious. It might be unconventional, but personally, I highly recommend eating it with a little mayonnaise.

We also have other products that let you enjoy Okinawan home cooking, such as "Agu Pork Jushi Mix," "Fuchiba Pork Jushi Mix," and "Chicken Jushi Mix"!

【evaluation】
Ingredients: ★★☆☆☆
Saltiness: ★★☆☆☆

This is "Okinawan-style mixed rice seasoning mix, Juicy no Moto" from Sun Foods, a company also famous for its homemade Okinawa soba noodles.
This is a juicy dish with a rich dashi (broth) flavor, similar to sticky rice.

Compared to other products, the lard aroma is milder, and it has a flavor that even people who haven't eaten Jushi before can enjoy with confidence.
The ingredients aren't exactly sparse, but compared to other top contenders, it feels a little lacking.

Perhaps because it was closer to a familiar taste, I found it tastier without the salad oil.

Because it has a generally mild flavor, it goes well with salty side dishes or miso soup. It also pairs well with "abura miso," another Okinawan home-style condiment!

【evaluation】
Ingredients: ★★★★☆
Saltiness: ★★★★☆

This entry comes from outside Okinawa Prefecture, from Nagasaki Prefecture: Marukyo Shokusan's "Meat Shop's Juicy Mix."
Perhaps because there are so many strong competitors within the prefecture alone, this product exudes a sense of dedication in both taste and quality.

As the name suggests, the meat in this product is by far the largest and most voluminous compared to other products!
The flavor is a little on the strong side, making it very satisfying.

We recommend adding lard instead of vegetable oil, but since there's a lot of meat in it, adding lard might make it feel a bit heavy.

I tried adding some vegetable oil as well, but it seems unnecessary. It's perfectly delicious as is.

【evaluation】
Ingredients: ★★★★☆
Saltiness: ★★☆☆☆

Lawson Select's Okinawa-exclusive product, "Okinawa-style mixed rice seasoning mix (Jushi no Moto)," is available at Lawson stores and select supermarkets throughout Okinawa Prefecture.

It's packed with ingredients, including plenty of hijiki seaweed. The taste gave me a sense of déjà vu, and when I read the label carefully, I realized this product is made by Oki Ham! No wonder it tasted so good.

Although both are products from Okiham, this one had a stronger dashi (broth) flavor, to the point where it tasted "sweet" when I put it in my mouth. I also felt that the lard aroma from the cooking process was less pronounced.

Adding salad oil to this product will dilute the flavor, so it's best not to add it.
These items are affordable, so they make great souvenirs!

【evaluation】
Ingredients: ★★☆☆☆
Saltiness: ★★☆☆☆

Changing things up a bit, here's Nanto Bussan's "Squid Ink Jushi Mix." Incidentally, in Okinawa, squid ink jushi is called "kuri (=squid ink) jushi," and it's just as popular as regular jushi, loved as a home-cooked meal. (Although it seems that fewer people are calling squid ink "kuri" these days...)

The only prominent ingredient is the squid, but this squid is tender and delicious! The overall flavor is not too salty, so the strongly flavored squid goes very well with it.
This dish is a real bargain, as you can enjoy rice with squid as a side dish.

Adding salad oil makes it sweeter, allowing you to enjoy a change in flavor. Adding salad oil is especially recommended when you have side dishes.

The only thing to be aware of is that your whole house will end up smelling like squid.
It smells nice, so I suppose it's not a problem, but even after airing out the house, the squid is still there the next day.

【evaluation】
Ingredients: ★★★☆☆
Saltiness: ★★★★☆

Next up is another squid ink dish, "Iejima Okka's Proud Squid Ink Jushi" from the Ie Fisheries Cooperative. Actually, this product is also made by Oki Ham. Amazing, Oki Ham!

The moment you open the package, you're greeted with the mouthwatering aroma of squid. But it's not a fishy smell; it's the concentrated, rich scent of the sea.
The most prominent ingredient here is squid, but there's so much of it that it's not a problem at all.

Without the cooking oil, it might taste a little salty. If you're eating it with other dishes, I definitely recommend adding cooking oil.

Perhaps because of the garlic, it has a very addictive flavor, and it's so delicious that you'll want to eat it with alcohol (especially beer!) rather than as a main dish with rice. It's also great as a finishing dish after drinking.

【evaluation】
Ingredients: ★☆☆☆☆
Saltiness: ★★★★★

Lastly, a bit of a bonus, but it's Maruchan (Toyo Suisan)'s "Okinawan Home-Style Jushi".
This is a ready-to-eat, retort-pouch type of juicy rice dish that you can heat up in the microwave.

The flavor is quite salty, and there's a lot of oil, so even one bowl is enough to feel satisfied. The meat has a strong flavor, so it might be good when you want a hearty meal.

Overall, it inevitably has that distinctive smell and sticky texture of instant rice. If you're looking for the kind of Jushi rice you'd find in Okinawa, you might be a little disappointed.

However, when you're craving Jushi rice, the convenience of being able to eat it in just 2 minutes in the microwave is appealing. It's worth trying for anyone who wants to eat Jushi rice anytime!

While waiting for the Jushi rice to cook, the wonderful aroma of Jushi fills the house, relentlessly stimulating the appetite. Wait, wait, wait patiently for it to finish cooking, and finally, the moment of joy arrives. As you open the lid, steam rises, and you can't help but let out a sigh of relief...
Jushi rice can really make your dinner table feel so dramatic! (I'm not exaggerating!)

Are your daily meals boring? Then why not buy some Jushi mix and try making Jushi at home?

Please make your hotel reservation here.

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