Let's Make Omurice!

Nothing is better than being woken up by the smell of omurice cooking in the morning! Omurice is an innovative omelet and rice combination, and is just one example of

yōshoku, or Western-influenced fusion cuisine. Though omurice has only been around since the turn of the 20th century, it has become an extremely popular breakfast food in Japan. If you want to experience the hype for yourself, keep reading on to learn how you can make this culinary delight at home.

Origins of Japanese Omurice

While it is unclear who initially created the omurice recipe, it is rumored to have been made famous in 1900 by a Western-style restaurant in Tokyo called Renga-tei. The idea was to make a breakfast food that could be held and carried while working. From there, the dish became so popular that competing restaurants began following suit and would claim omurice to be their own creation.

How to Make Omurice -- Ingredients

For the omelette, make sure to have:

• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons of separated milk
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

For the fried rice, you will need:

• 1 boneless chicken thigh
• 2 helpings of cooked Japanese short-grain rice
• ½ onion
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• ½ of frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted
• ⅛ teaspoon of kosher or sea salt (or use half if using regular salt)
• ⅛ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
• Ketchup

Directions

Start by preparing the rice base first. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Finely chop the onion.
2. Cut the chicken into ½ pieces.
3. Sauté the onion with oil over heat until softened.
4. Add the chicken to the onion pan.
5. Add the mixed vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the rice.
7. Add the ketchup and soy sauce. Mix evenly.

Now that the rice has finished cooking, it’s time to make the omelette. Here’s how:

1. Whisk 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of milk in a bowl.
2. Generously coat a pan with olive oil, heat over medium-high heat.
3. Pour egg mixture into the pan, then lower the heat when the bottom of the mixture has set.
4. Add 3 tablespoons of cheese and half of the fried rice into the pan.
5. Fold both sides of the egg over to close the omelette.
6. Repeat to make a second omelette.

Variations of Omurice

Above is the classic Japanese omurice recipe, but there are many unique takes on the egg rice dish that should be explored as well. Omusoba, for example, is a mix between omurice and another beloved Japanese “fast food” called yakisoba, a stir fry with pork and veggies. In Okinawa, there is a popular dish called Taco Rice that takes all the fixins of a taco, (lettuce, tomato, ground beef, cheese, and salsa) but replaces the taco shell with a rice coating. The Japanese later discovered that the only thing better than a taco was a breakfast taco, and thus, omutako was born.

Whatever your preferred method of preparation, starting your day with a omurice breakfast is sure to set you up for success. It’s light, it’s fluffy, it’s nutritional, it’s protein packed, and more than anything, it just tastes good!

Slicing up an omurice can be oh-so-satisfying. Check out our omurice video!