Omurice is a famous Japanese dish originally inspired by Western cuisine. To prepare it, you need to cook Cantonese rice and an omelette separately. Then, stuff the omelette with rice and serve.
Ingrediants
Doses for 2 servings
Cantonese rice
- 100 g of chicken cut into cubes
- ½ small onion
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil
- 40 g of frozen peas
- 40 g of carrots cut into cubes
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of ground black pepper
- 400 g of cooked Arborio rice
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of ketchup
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of soy sauce
Omelette
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of milk
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil
- Additional ketchup
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Making Cantonese Rice
Step 1. Prepare the ingredients
Cut the chicken and vegetables into cubes. Steam the rice or boil it.
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Cut the onion and carrots trying to obtain cubes of about 0.5 cm. They should be similar in size to peas.
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Cut the chicken into approximately 1.5 cm cubes.
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The rice must be cooked before proceeding with the preparation. Sushi is preferable. But if you can't find it, Arborio rice will be fine too.
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Step 2. Heat the oil
Pour it into a medium-sized skillet or wok. Put it on the stove and let it heat over medium-high heat.
While the oil heats up, rotate the pan to coat the bottom and sides nicely
Step 3. Place the onion cubes in the hot oil
Let them cook, stirring them often until they are softened. It should take about 2-4 minutes.
Step 4. Brown the chicken
Place it in the same pan and let it cook for a few minutes. Stir frequently until cooked through - no raw parts should remain.
Traditionally, chicken is the most used ingredient to make Cantonese rice, but there are also other variations. For example, in the Korean version of omurice, smoked ham cubes and crab sticks are usually used. The other types of meat should be added and cooked the way it was done with chicken
Step 5. Add the vegetables, salt and pepper
Place the carrots and peas in the pan. Sprinkle the ingredients with salt and pepper, then mix well to season the vegetables evenly.
Make sure the carrots and peas have softened before continuing. If the carrots have been cut correctly, they should cook within minutes
Step 6. Place the rice in the pan
Mix it well with the chicken and vegetables.
- Since Japanese rice traditionally has a sticky texture, it may be necessary to use a spatula or spoon to break it into smaller pieces in order to mix it with the chicken and vegetables.
- Cook the ingredients and mix them for about 2-3 minutes. The rice should dry slightly, but not burn or become crunchy.
Step 7. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of ketchup and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of soy sauce
Mix them well with the other ingredients.
Mix all the ingredients, taste the rice. If it seems bland, add salt and pepper to taste to flavor it
Step 8. The rice should now be ready
Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.
- The chicken should be cooked well, but it's always best to check, you never know. If the core is visibly raw, continue to cook it over low heat. Stir often to prevent other ingredients from burning.
- If you prefer to use just one pan, move the rice to a plate. Wash it quickly and use it to make the omelette.
Part 2 of 3: Cook the Eggs
Step 1. Break the eggs into a small bowl and add the milk
Beat until smooth.
The mixture should be uniform in color, so mix the yolks and whites well
Step 2. Pour the oil into a clean skillet or wok and heat it over medium-high heat
Rotate the pan as it heats so that it can coat the bottom and sides well
Step 3. Pour half of the mixture into the boiling pan and cook over medium-low heat
It should thicken.
- The mixture should coat the bottom of the pan evenly, so tilt it slightly immediately after pouring.
- You can stir the mixture for a few times right after pouring it into the pan, but stop just before it finishes sprinkling on the bottom.
- To evenly distribute the heat, place a lid on the pan just before turning the heat down. If you use a glass lid, the eggs will be ready once the material is warm to the touch.
- Once cooked, the omelette will not be runny, but the top surface should still be moist. Do not wait for it to dry out, as otherwise that would mean it has burned to the bottom.
- At this point you will have cooked only half of the amalgam. The other half is cooked in the same way. However, to avoid soiling other pans, you should complete the preparation of one omurice before continuing with the other.
Part 3 of 3: Prepare the Omurice
Fold the Omurice
Step 1. Place a small pile of rice in the center of the omelette
Calculate about half of it. Make sure the mound is tight, avoid it extending to the edges of the omelette.
The remaining rice will be used later to fill the second omelette
Step 2. With the help of a spatula, gently lift both sides of the omelette towards the center
The ends should touch lightly and cover the rice.
As you fold the sides of the omelette, move it to the edge of the pan with the help of the spatula. Proceed slowly and gently. This will make it easier to turn it upside down and serve it up
Step 3. Serve the omurice
With one hand, hold a plate directly under the pan, while with the other, quickly flip the omurice to serve.
To avoid getting dirty, keep both the plate and the pan still. If you don't think you can handle the pan with one hand, ask someone to hold the plate while you turn it over
Step 4. Shape the omurice
Cover it with a clean napkin. Work it gently with your hands until you get the shape of an eye or an American football.
- To create the shape correctly, work it while it is hot. If you wait for it to cool down, the omelette could break when trying to handle it.
- Remove the napkin as soon as you finish creating the shape.
Step 5. Repeat the process with the remaining eggs and rice to make another omelet
Stack the rice in the center and flip the omurice onto another plate.
Step 6. Enjoy your meal
Serve the omurice while it is hot to best enjoy the flavor and texture.
Before eating it, garnish it by sprinkling it with ketchup
Omurice in Relief
Step 1. Put the omelette in a deep bowl
Let it slide carefully from the pan into the bowl. Center it well, pressing it carefully with the spatula.
Do this quickly, so that you treat the omelette while it is hot. If it does cool, you risk it breaking as you try to adjust it to the shape of the bowl
Step 2. Take half of the rice with the help of a spoon and place it in the center of the omelette
The leftover egg amalgam and the other half of the rice are used to prepare the second portion of omurice
Step 3. Place the omurice
Place a plate upside down on the bowl. Instantly flip the plate and bowl over. Do it gently but quickly. Remove the bowl.
- Overturning the containers allows you to turn the omurice upside down as well. At this point the omelette will be covered with rice creating a sort of relief.
- During the process, make sure you have a good grip on the plate and bowl. It can be difficult. If you don't pay attention, they could separate during the procedure, causing the omelet and rice to fall out.
Step 4. With a knife, gently engrave an X on the surface of the omurice
The cut should be deep enough to pierce the omelet and let the rice out underneath.
You can also make a center cut instead of engraving an X. However, don't cut all the way to the ends. The goal should be to let the underlying rice come out, avoiding cutting the omurice completely in half
Step 5. Repeat the same process with the remaining eggs and rice
Once the second omelette is ready, stuff it with the remaining rice to obtain a second portion of omurice.
Step 6. Enjoy your meal
Serve the omurice while it is hot to fully enjoy its flavor and texture.
