omuraisu

[dornachu]

I actually really like fried rice with ketchup, it's quite popular in HK as well. But we don't eat it with ommelete.

[SobaAddict70]

Omuraisu is not too far off from fried rice with tortang talong (eggplant omelette) and ketchup. This is a Filipino dish wherein one makes an omelette by mashing a roasted peeled Japanese eggplant and then dipping it into an egg-based batter and frying it. Serve with fried rice and a liberal douse of ketchup or sriracha.

One of my favorite breakfast dishes that I haven't had in years. Sometimes this is made with minced pork or with kinchay (Chinese celery).

Soba

[melonpan]

this isnt about omurice, but on may 12, 2004 the new york times minimalist column featured something called ketchup chicken. you brown chicken chunks in a skillet. set them aside on a plate. with the same skillet heat a little more oil. then fry garlic and cayenne for 2 minutes. then you add one cup of ketchup and fry that until the ketchup has browned. thats one cup ketchup for about 1 and 1/2 a pound of chicken. return the chicken to the fry pan and coat pieces, then serve.

im not used to the idea of measuring ketchup in anything more than skinny squirts or little packets. to deal with cups of the stuff is another matter entirely and frankly it seems downright disgusting.

but i tried it and loved it. and now i use the same browned ketchup to cover up my fried rice.

[dougery]

Perhaps omuraisu is a covert way for the Canadians to infiltrate japan. They already put ketchup on everything (potato chips for example) and they convinced President Reagan that ketchup was a vegetable...

CONSPIRACY I say!!

In all seriousness, I grew up with omuraisu and still enjoy it to this day but I have always thought the concept of ketchup on rice as being rather strange. Ketchup belongs on french fries damned it!

BTW, some of my best friends are Canadian, no offense intended!

Edited September 18, 2004 by dougery (log)

[adobohead]

Some Americans hate it and others like it, and some of those who like it hate a combination of ketchup and rice and/or a combination of ketchup and a hot dog.  It's as simple as that.

My first Japan posting, and it's in this topic...oh well.

My disdain for ketchup (or better, my wariness of ketchup) has to do with the simple fact that most American food, especially fast food, is uninspired. Growing up in the United States, I encountered many mediocre dishes slathered in ketchup...mediocre hamburgers, mediocre meatloaf. I've seen people put ketchup in macaroni and cheese...jazzing up a mediocre sauce by putting more sauce on it.

When I was a kid, I used to put ketchup on just about everything. There were dishes that my mother would make that I didn't even know by name...I just knew that I liked them because I could put ketchup on them. I would refer to such a dish as "the ketchup thing".

"What do you want for dinner, adobo or omelet?"

"The ketchup thing!" (meaning omelet)

I was not alone. Tons of kids my age used to glop ketchup on everything. There was actually a public service announcement that they used to play during Saturday morning cartoons...any of you remember "Don't Drown Your Food?". Sing along, folks...

don't drown your food

in mayo, salt, ketchup or goo

it's no fun to eat what you can't even see

so don't drown your food!

Anyway, I got over the ketchup thing. I learned to appreciate the flavor and texture of foods with no sauce or a moderate amount of sauce. Very saucy food still freaks me out a little bit...I'd probably have a hard time in France.

[Hiroyuki]

A touching story, which clearly explains why some Americans feel aversion to ketchup. But, I am not fully satisfied yet. My understanding of ketchup is that it's healthy and contains a lot of lycopene, and omuraise is far from being a mediocre dish, to say the least of it.

[Kiem Hwa]

We were watching my favorite show the other night, "Next Stop Discovery" where the host chooses a train line in Tokyo and gets off at stations along the line to look for "cultural experiences" (most often is food) and in this episode he ate omuraisu.

Well, we also remembered seeing omuraisu shops in Japan (though we didn't try any), so we were inspired to make it ourselves!

The rice featured ketchup, portugese sausage, onions, garlic, peas, and some Thai sweet chili sauce. It was quite good (but my BF made it and hes pretty good at making fried rice).

The final results?...Yummy!!! I don't know how it is made in Japan, but it tastes good here!!!

[torakris]

wow!

I don't care for omuraisu but damn that looks good!

[Hiroyuki]

We were watching my favorite show the other night, "Next Stop Discovery" where the host chooses a train line in Tokyo and gets off at stations along the line to look for "cultural experiences"  (most often is food) and in this episode he ate omuraisu.

←

I forgot to respond to your question you had previously posted elsewhere.

Is it this show, "Burari Tochuu Gesha no Tabi"?

http://www.ntv.co.jp/burari/

I sometimes watch this show and find it quite interesting like you do.

[torakris]

Julia picked out omuraisu from the supermarket for tonight's dinner

[Mooshmouse]

Omuraisu is not too far off from fried rice with tortang talong (eggplant omelette) and ketchup.  This is a Filipino dish wherein one makes an omelette by mashing a roasted peeled Japanese eggplant and then dipping it into an egg-based batter and frying it.  Serve with fried rice and a liberal douse of ketchup or sriracha.

One of my favorite breakfast dishes that I haven't had in years.  Sometimes this is made with minced pork or with kinchay (Chinese celery).

←

Whoa, nelly. Tortang talong. Now there's a man who's got the right idea. One of my favourite breakfast or lunch foods too.

I've never actually sampled omuraisu, but I'm sure I'd love it as ketchup is my friend. One point for your side Hiroyuki! However, I did try a soba omelette at a local izakaya restaurant just last week and it was served cold with tonkatsu sauce and mayonnaise. Unusual but delicious.

[dougery]

From BC eh Moosh? Ketchup is every Canadian's friend! ; )

[Abra]

With my apologies for lighting, I would like to add this lurid update to the thread.

Let me say that I've never seen nor tasted omurice, all I know about it is what I read. But tonight my leftovers cried out to become omurice, and there you have it.

I had leftover rice that had been steamed with galangal and lemongrass. Leftover Korean-style ribs. A couple of eggs. Plenty of catsup. I fried the rice with scraps of the rib meat and catsup. Made the omelet with a splash of soy sauce in the eggs. Folded and squiggled. And you know what? We really liked it!

[GlorifiedRice]

Being a lifelong white rice eater, I thought omuraisu was sheer disgusting sacrilege for the longest time. But for whatever reason, I've grown to like it in the last couple years. Not often, but just a few times a year. I like to make mine with sauteed caramelized finely chopped shallots and bacon.

I like omuraisu topped with curry sauce too.

Pat

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OMG that sounds good...

Cowboy Omuraisu=BBQ sauce in place of ketchup

[GlorifiedRice]

As I read the posts, I'm beginning to wonder what makes many of you hate omuraisu so much.  Is it the combination of ketchup and rice?  Do you hate Napolitan spaghetti of the Japanese style, too?

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/reito/457250/494801/

Do you eat a hot dog without ketchup?

I'm curious to know.

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Ive made Naporitan Spaghetti from a pouch mix and it was yummy...

I love ketchup. But most people in the USA like yellow French's mustard on our hot dogs, as well as our soft pretzles. Alot of people look at you funny if you put only ketchup on a hot dog But my son loves that. I think Ill make him Omuraisu next time he asks for eggs.

[GlorifiedRice]

I took my parents to the Grandberry Mall outlet shops by my house today and we stopped in the food court for lunch.

My dad decided to go to the omuraisu restaurant and ended up with omuraisu topped with a hamburger patty and slathered with a demi glace sauce.

He loved it!

I knew he would though as he can put ketchup on anything he eats.

Me? I went for the ishiyaki (stone dolsot) bibimbap and rei-men (cold noodles) set.

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COOL, Lotsa questions here...

Kristin? How many times do your parents visit you? Do they refer to you as their Japanese daughter?

Are the food courts there the same as they are here?

And do you have a favorite recipe for Bibimbap? Ive wanted to try it but when I heard the bracken can cause stomach cancer over time I dont wanna get too addicted to it...

[GlorifiedRice]

I didn't want to try kechyapuraisu (sp?) for the longest time because I thought it was just ketchup and rice. Almost like eating white bread and ketchup sandwiches. But I like it now since it's cooked with other things, and also like the ketchup spaghetti too.

Now I'm convinced that some of you are just

食べず嫌い

tabezu girai

"dislike without having tried"

Why not try it today?

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Hiroyuki?

Ill probably make it for myself with Cowboy Ketchup

(Ketchup and hot salsa mix, used to be made by Omaha Steaks)

[torakris]

Kristin? How many times do your parents visit you? Do they refer to you as their Japanese daughter?

Are the food courts there the same as they are here?

And do you have a favorite recipe for Bibimbap? Ive wanted to try it but when I heard the bracken can cause stomach cancer over time I dont wanna get too addicted to it...

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My parents have only been twice so far, but my dad has officially retired and they plan on visiting more often. They will be coming again this upcoming spring break.

Japanese daughter? I have yet to hear them say that.

Bibimbap is one of favorite dishes, sometimes I think I picked the wrong Asian country to live in.

Check out the bibimbap cook-off for some great pictures and ideas.

Japanese food courts are very similar to American ones but they tend to be smaller (have less restaurants). There will almost always be a McDonald's and usually a ramen and takoyaki shop, the other shops will vary depending on the place. Two weeks ago I have some really good (and cheap) sanuki udon at a food court while my son munched on a hamburger from the McDonalds.

[GlorifiedRice]

Bibimbap is one of favorite dishes, sometimes I think I picked the wrong Asian country to live in.

Check out the bibimbap cook-off for some great pictures and ideas.

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Oh thank you. I also forgot I had the book "Eating Korean" which has a recipe for it...

But that pic of yours was luscious...

[miladyinsanity]

I have to say I agree with the original poster's take on it. There is no way ketchup flavored anything will pass my lips if I'm not drunk, stoned or dead. In fact, I think you can discount stoned and drunk too.

I do like the idea of fried rice wrapped in an egg though. I have to try that, once I get my omelet skillz back. But without ketchup, of course.

[GlorifiedRice]

Bibimbap is one of favorite dishes, sometimes I think I picked the wrong Asian country to live in.

Check out the bibimbap cook-off for some great pictures and ideas.

←

Im making Bibimbap for dinner...

I have the Zucchini, Mushrooms, Spinach, Carrots, Cukes, and Soybean Sprouts fried already...Im waiting on the Fern Bracken to rehydrate and then Ill fry it and the beef.

I got the Gochuchang at the ready...

Ill take a pic...

ETA:

I dont like the smell of the fern but I am trying them at least

Anyway, look my first Bibimbap:

Sorry its blurry, I bought the camera at ShopRite

Edited November 19, 2006 by GlorifiedRice (log)

[SheenaGreena]

omuraisu reminds me of some nasty rice/condiment mixes I used to eat as a kid.

my favorites are: soy sauce, sesame oil and butter mixed with cooked rice. My mother also used to make this delicious (it was at the time) combination of spaghetti sauce from a jar mixed with rice. Then you take the mix of rice and spaghetti sauce and wrap it up in a flour tortilla - no cheese. Nowadays this sounds pretty gross to me but I loved this as a kid.

other weird combinations: spaghetti with a slice of american processed cheese on top, when it melts you mix it in. Boiled squid dipped into ketchup. Traditionally its served with a sweet chili sauce but it was too spicy for me when I was little so my mom gave me something similar in the same color

omelette w/ ketchup is fantastic, don't they eat their eggs like that in some european country?

I am a big fan of the koreans and the japanese and their usage of : mayonnaise and ketchup.

who said fernbracken causes cancer? I have been eating it my whole life (I'm 23) and hopefully I won't get sick from it. Little known fact, korean men are not supposed to eat it because their is a superstition that it causes impotence. perhaps that has something to do with the cancer thing? btw your bibimbop looks fantastic, next time try it with a raw egg yolk!

Edited November 20, 2006 by SheenaGreena (log)

[GlorifiedRice]

In the USA we eat scrambled eggs with Ketchup...

And heres the info on Bracken and stomach cancer

"SYMPTOMS:

Acute poisoning from these ferns is unlikely; their effect is cumulative, and eventually produces a variety of internal cancers. Repeated ingestions significantly increase the likelihood of developing disease; in Japan, where BRACKEN FERN FIDDLEHEADS are traditionally consumed as food, scientists attribute the high incidence of stomach cancer to the popularity of this risky vegetable."

(Source: http://museum.gov.ns.ca/poison/bracken.htm )

"The plant is carcinogenic, and communities (mainly in Japan) where the young stems are used as a vegetable have some of the highest stomach cancer rates in the world [1]. The spores have also been implicated as a carcinogen."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracken )

[SheenaGreena]

how depressing, gosari is in the top 5-10 favorite namuls. ):

I don't know if I should stop eating it or not, its so damn delicious! It is a sad day indeed for sheena

[Hiroyuki]

how depressing, gosari is in the top 5-10 favorite namuls. ):

I don't know if I should stop eating it or not, its so damn delicious!  It is a sad day indeed for sheena 

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Don't stop eating it, SheenaGreena! You won't get a cancer from it unless you have a truckload of it at once. Besides, almost all of the carcinogen contained in bracken, Ptaquiloside, will be decomposed in the aku-nuki (harshness removal) process.

副食として食べている程度ならば害はない。またアク抜き処理をすればプタキロサイドはほとんど分解する。ワラビでがんを発病するためには、1度にトラック1杯分のワラビを摂取しなければならない。

from here