Itadakimasu: Let’s Cook Omurice!

What’s up TokyoTreat family! Today, we want to teach you how to create one of our favorite dishes since we were children: omurice (オムライス)!  The word Omurice is derived from omu (omelette) and raisu (rice). You may already be familiar with this dish, or have even tried it before in Japanese restaurants – as this Western-influenced dish has become quite popular around the globe. That said though, nothing beats a home cooked meal!

After World War II, the influence of Western cooking and the accessibility to ingredients such as ketchup, onions, green peppers, and meat made it easier for restaurants and families to make yoshoku, or western-style Japanese food. Omurice became one of the most popular yoshoku dishes – and for good reason! Omurice is said to have originated around the turn of the 20th century at a western-style restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza district called Renga-Tei, inspired by chakin-zushi, a sushi wrapped in thin omelet.

Chakin-zushi Source: susherito.com

There are 2 ways to make omurice: Ganso Omurice, and Fuwatoro Omurice. Ganso omurice involves a thin layer of beaten egg draped over fried rice; whereas Fuwatoro omurice is the same fried rice but with a runny omelet on top. Before serving, you slice the center of the omelet and allow it to gently cover the entire mound of delicious fried rice! Although Fuwatoro Omu Rice is much more luxurious, it’s pretty difficult to make, so we think it’s best to master Ganso Omurice first! Although omurice looks quite easy to make, the omeltte is quite difficult to execute properly, so you’ll need to level up your cooking skill to create it perfectly�! Here’s the recipe from Japanesecooking101:

Ingredients for 2 servings:

1 chicken thigh

1 small onion

1Tbsp butter

1 tsp oil

2 cups cooked rice

1/4 tsp salt

pepper

3 Tbsp ketchup

1/4 cup frozen green peas

egg crepe

2 eggs

salt

1 tsp oil

Instructions:

1. Cut chicken thigh into 1" pieces. Cut onion finely.

2. Melt butter and add oil in a frying pan at medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add onion and cook until onion becomes translucent.

3. Add cooked rice. Season rice with salt and pepper and mix it for 2 minutes. Then, you can add the ketchup. Mix rice and ketchup and mix together for 1-2 minutes. Then add frozen peas and cook some more.

4. Place the ketchup fried rice on 2 plates, mold it with a bowl before you place the rice.

5. Beat eggs and a pinch of salt together. Heat frying pan with 1/2 tsp oil. Pour 1/2 of egg mixture onto a hot frying pan and make a crepe-like thin round egg sheet. Cover molded rice with egg sheet to form an oval shape. Repeat it on the second plate. Add ketchup on the top.

Your omurice is ready to be eaten. Source: https://www.japanesecooking101.com/

You can really make this dish your own! Feel free to add any ingredients you like to make your own omu rice masterpiece! (Personally we really like sauteed mushrooms in ours)! You can use the comment section below if you want to add tips and tricks to create a perfect omurice together!

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