Omurice

Omurice is a fluffy omelette enveloping a generous filling of savory fried rice. The rice is typically seasoned with ketchup and mixed with various ingredients such as diced vegetables, chicken, beef, or seafood, creating a flavorful and satisfying filling. The omelette that wraps around the rice is cooked to perfection, with a silky texture and golden exterior. It adds a comforting and visually appealing element to the dish. Its combination of familiar ingredients, satisfying flavors, and the delightful surprise of cutting into the fluffy omelette has made it a favorite among people of all ages. While the traditional omurice is very delicate to prepare, this Filipino omurice version shares a few hacks on how to prepare this dish in an easier way. Yum!

Omurice Recipe

Ingredients:

• 200 grams chicken breast fillet
• 1 piece onion (minced)
• 1/2 cup frozen mixed veggies
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons grated cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Wash and prepare the chicken breast fillets. Slice them into small cubes. Transfer them to a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat a little oil in a pan. Add the minced onions and saute for a few minutes. Then, add the sliced chicken and saute until light brown.
3. Once the chicken cubes are cooked, add the frozen mixed veggies and the rice. Saute until the rice has no clumps and the ingredients are well incorporated. Then, add the ketchup, soy sauce, salt, and ground black pepper. Toss until well combined. Let it cook in the pan for a few minutes. Turn the heat off and let the rice set aside for a while.
4. Crack the eggs into a bowl, season with some salt and then whisk until well beaten. Heat some oil in a round pan using medium to low heat setting. Add the scrambled eggs. Tilt the pan in a circular motion to ensure that the bottom of the pan is coated with the egg. Once the bottom part of the egg has cooked but the top is still soft, add some grated cheese and the fried rice we made earlier. Gently flip the egg towards one side of the pan to until all the rice is fully wrapped.
5. Carefully transfer the wrapped rice into the serving plate. Press the wrap using a paper towel to maintain the form. Drizzle some ketchup and sprinkle some parsley on top for garnish. Serve and consume immediately. Yum!

Omurice

Omurice is a delightful fusion dish that originated in Japan and has gained popularity around the world. The name “omurice” is a combination of “omelette” and “rice,” which perfectly describes this unique culinary creation.

At its core, omurice is a fluffy omelette enveloping a generous filling of savory fried rice. The rice is typically seasoned with ketchup and mixed with various ingredients such as diced vegetables, chicken, beef, or seafood, creating a flavorful and satisfying filling.

Omurice, a beloved dish in Japanese cuisine, has a fascinating history that dates back to the early 1900s. The origins of omurice can be traced to Western influence on Japanese cooking during the Meiji era.

During that time, Western-style cuisine, including omelettes, was introduced to Japan and gained popularity among the Japanese people. However, the traditional omelette was often considered too plain or lacking in flavor for the local palate. To add a touch of Japanese flair and make it more appealing, chefs began combining the Western omelette with Japanese-style fried rice.

The exact details of the dish’s creation are unclear, but it is believed to have emerged around the 1900s in Tokyo. Omurice quickly gained popularity and became a staple in yoshoku, a style of Japanese-Western fusion cuisine.

Omurice became particularly popular among children and young adults, as it offered a tasty and comforting combination of familiar ingredients. The addition of ketchup to the fried rice provided a slightly sweet and tangy flavor that appealed to the Japanese taste buds.

Over the years, omurice has evolved, and various regional variations have emerged throughout Japan. Some versions feature different fillings, such as chicken, beef, or seafood, and variations in seasoning and sauces. The dish’s versatility and ability to accommodate personal preferences have contributed to its enduring popularity.

Today, omurice can be found in many Japanese restaurants, cafes, and even home kitchens. It is often served with a side of salad or accompanied by a drizzle of ketchup or Worcestershire sauce on top. Its combination of flavors, visual appeal, and playful presentation continue to make omurice a beloved and iconic dish in Japanese culinary culture.

How to Make Omurice

If you have seen the traditional omurice cooking videos, you’ll definitely back out due to the seemingly intricate and unique way of preparing this dish. But let me show you a hack on how to enjoy the omurice using this easy steps.

The two most important parts of the omurice is the egg and the rice. Lets make the rice first. How you prepare the rice is really up to you. Some omurice recipes simply uses plain rice which is just shaped oval. For this recipe, we make the rice extra special by turning it into special fried rice. Just like how we make fried rice, you can add any ingredients you like. In this recipe, I used some chopped chicken breast and mixed veggies and seasoned the rice with ketchup, soy sauce, salt and pepper. We are just starting but the sound of the rice drools me! Once the rice is done, set it aside first as we prepare the egg.

Traditionally, the eggs are cooked in a special way where you use chopsticks and stir the eggs like a tornado and then flip to form into an oval shape. To make things easier, I made a few twists to this recipe by just cooking the scrambled egg lightly and then adding our fried rice to the egg and wrap them gently. (I also added some grated cheese for some flavor, yum!) Once all the rice is wrapped in the eggs, then our goal is achieved.

The last step would still be tricky, as we need to be very gentle in transferring the omurice to the serving plate. During the first few times I did omurice, I always destroy the form as I transfer it to the plate. After a few practices, I did it! Following the traditional way of serving  omurice, drizzle some sweet ketchup on top. You can also add some parsley for garnish. Yum!

Omurice Recipe in Tagalog

Mga Sangkap:

• 200 grams ng pitso ng manok
• 1 pirasong sibuyas (hiniwa ng maliliit)
• 1/2 tasa ng frozen mixed veggies
• 2 tasang lutong kanin
• 2 kutsarang ketchup
• 1 kutsaritang toyo
• 1/2 kutsaritang paminta
• 2 malalaking itlog
• 3 kutsarang grated cheese
• 1 kutsaritang asin
• parsley for garnish (optional)

Paano Lutuin:

1. Hugasan at ihanda ang mga pitso ng manok. Hiwain ito ng maliliit na cubes at ilipat ito muna sa lalagyan. Isantabi.

2. Magpainit ng kaunting mantika sa kawali. Ilagay ang mga sibuyas at igisa ito ng ilang minuto. Sunod na ilagay ang mga hiniwang manok at igisa ng ilang minuto hanggang maging light brown.

3. Kapag luto na ang mga manok, saka ilagay ang mga frozen mixed veggies at ang kanin. Igisa ang mga ito hanggang mawala ang mga clumps ng kanin. Timplahan ito ng ketchup, toyo, asin, at paminta. Haluin nang mabuti. Hayaan itong maluto sa kawali ng ilang minuto bago patayin ang apoy. Isantabi muna ang fried rice.

4. Buksan at iscramble ang mga itlog sa isang bowl. Timplahan ito ng konting asin. Magpainit ng konting mantika sa round na kawali gamit ang katamtamang apoy. Ibuhos ang mga itlog at medyo i-tilt ang kawali ng paikot para kumalat ang itlog sa buong pan. Kapag medyo luto na ang ilalim na part ng itlog pero ang ibabaw ay malambot pa, ilagay ang grated cheese at ang ginawang fried rice. Dahan dahang baliktarin ang itlog papunta sa isang side ng kawali hanggang mabalot ang lahat ng kanin.

5. Dahan dahang ilipat ang omurice sa serving plate. Gumamit ng paper towel para mas maiayos ang foem ng omurice. Lagyan ng ketchup ang ibabaw nito. Pwede mo rin budburan ng konting parsley. Yum!