Shrimp Fried Rice (in my Monkey Bowl!)
October 11, 2011
Shrimp Fried Rice (recipe by “Oishii”)
My notes: I purchased the cutest rice bowl with monkeys on it at Scratch ‘n Sniff in Oak Park. And that was my inspiration for making shrimp fried rice today. I just wanted to show off my new monkey bowl!!
This is what it looks like inside:
OK, now back to our recipe! The prep notes below are long because I believe the technique for making fried rice can mean the difference between a good and a bad batch. It is not difficult to make though.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of uncooked Japanese rice (Kokuho Rose, Botan, or Nishiki brands)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 11 ounces medium-sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (Kikkoman brand), and more for serving
- 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3-4 scallions, chopped
- freshly ground pepper
- kosher salt
Preparation
Make “day old rice”: Measure out rice and water according to package directions and add to rice maker. Rinse several times with water until the water is no longer chalky. Add water back to rice maker to the measured level and let it set for at least 30 minutes or up to a day. Cook rice. When rice is finished, let it cool, and then put it in a freezer bag. Break up the rice in the bag so it doesn’t stick together. Put freezer bag in refrigerator or freezer to allow rice to dry out over night. This is crucial. Take rice out of refrigerator or freezer. Thaw if taking out of freezer. (I like to put it into the microwave oven for a few minutes until it is just soft enough to break apart.) Break up the rice inside the bag again.
Beat eggs in a small bowl and set aside.
In another small bowl mix shrimp with cornstarch, sesame oil, and garlic. Heat a very large non-stick fry pan or wok over high heat and coat with vegetable oil. Fry shrimp until is no longer pink. Toss in the rice and push contents of pan over to one side. Half of the pan will be empty.
Add beaten eggs to empty side of pan. Pretend you are making an omelet. Let eggs set on edges, push edges down a bit with flat rubber spatula, swirl runny eggs under edges. When omelet is almost set, gently fold rice mixture on top of it.
Quickly add oyster sauce and soy sauce. Toss in scallions and mixed veggies to rice and egg mixture and heat though. Season to taste with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and extra soy sauce.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Now it’s your turn. Have you ever had a cute bowl you just had to show off? Do you have any fried rice recipes to share? If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave some feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Omuraisu (Japanese-Style Omelet Stuffed with Chicken and Rice)
September 27, 2011
My notes: For those of you unfamiliar with Japanese home cooking, I offer you omuraisu (オムライス or omurice), a Japanese-style omelet commonly stuffed with a chicken-rice filling, and flavored with ketchup. The name of this popular fusion dish is a contracted form of the words omelet and rice. It’s enjoyed by children of all ages everywhere in Japan, and is found in endless variations. The combination of eggs and rice is surprisingly delicious and satisfying, and these omelets, like their “western” counterpart, can be eaten any time of day.
This recipe is inspired by Cooking With Dog, the Japanese cooking show hosted by no other than Francis the poodle.
Omuraisu (Japanese-Style Omelet Stuffed with Chicken and Rice) (recipe by “Oishii!”)
Makes 4 omelets
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 8 ounces chicken breast, finely chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 3 large button mushrooms, finely chopped (=2/3 cup after chopping)
- 1 tablespoon white wine
- 2 cups steamed rice (Japanese brands such as Kokuho Rose, Botan, or Nishiki)
- 1/3 cup ketchup, plus extra for garnishing
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 8 eggs, beaten
- 2 1/2 tablespoons half and half
Preparation
Make the filling: Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large (12″) non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until it softens. Mix in the chicken and garlic, and brown the chicken. Add the mushrooms and continue frying. Add the wine and deglaze; cook until it evaporates. Turn off the heat, and spoon in the rice and ketchup. Toss the mixture with a pair of heat resistant silicone spatulas (or spoons) until well combined. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Divide omelet filling evenly among four small bowls and set aside.
Make the omelets: In a medium sized mixing bowl whisk together the eggs and half and half. (Alternatively whisk together 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons of half and half in four separate bowls.) Heat a medium sized (10″) non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil and swirl it around the pan. Pour in 1/4 of the egg mixture. Once egg is nearly set, add one bowl of filling on top of the egg, and fold the egg over to seal the edge. Tuck the sealed edge under and carefully slide out of pan onto a plate. Repeat this three more times for remaining omelets. Garnish each omelet with additional ketchup. Feel free to get creative and write something with the ketchup such as a smiley face, a heart, or a child’s name!
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Have you ever had some interesting omuraisu variations before? If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave some feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Like this:
Gyudon (Beef Bowl)
November 13, 2010
Gyudon (Beef Bowl) (recipe adapted from Cooking with Dog)
My notes: Gyudon, which is simmered beef and onions served over a bowl of white rice, is a Japanese fast food original. When I lived in Japan, like countless other “salarymen,” I sometimes ate gyudon on the way home from work or after a night of drinking. I don’t why, but there seem to be many Japanese foods that appeal more to men than women, and gyudon is definitely one of them. Ramen noodles are huge too.
I was looking for an authentic recipe and thankfully Chowhound.com member “BigSal” recommended a video series on YouTube called Cooking with Dog, which is hosted by an adorable toy poodle named Francis nonetheless. I’ll bet that the series was developed specifically for a Japanese audience eager to learn English. While it is rather comical to watch from a “western” perspective, the precision in the recipes is admirable, and I’m guessing there are many Japanese housewives interested in cooking who take it rather seriously as an English learning tool.
Note about the optional garnishes: I dislike beni shoga (Japanese pickled ginger), but I wouldn’t even consider not using shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice). I guess everybody has a preference. The original recipe called for soft boiled eggs, which I did not include.
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 2 tablespoons hon-mirin or aji-mirin
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 pound rib-eye steak or beef tenderloin, sliced as thinly as possible into 3″ long pieces
- 1 teaspoons hon-dashi or dashi-no-moto (bonito fish soup stock)
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 1 medium onion (9 ounces), cut into 1/2″ wedges through the root and separated into layers
- cooked Japanese rice
- scallions, sliced – optional
- shichimi togarashi or nanami togarashi (Japanese seven spice) – optional
- beni shoga (Japanese picked ginger) – optional
Preparation
In a small bowl combine the sake, hon-mirin, soy sauce, and sugar.
Fill a medium-sized saucepan 2/3 full of water and bring to a boil. Parboil the beef just until the color is no longer red. Remove it with a slotted spoon and put it in a small bowl. Discard the water.
Heat a 12″ frying pan over medium heat and add sauce. When it starts to boil add the beef and coat well with sauce. Remove beef from pan and set aside. To the sauce add 3/4 cup water, hon-dashi, ginger, and onions. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and add the beef. Stir well.
Ladle the simmered beef and onions along with some liquid over bowls of steamed rice. Sprinkle with scallions, shichimi togarashi, and beni shoga if desired.
Prep note: Have your butcher thinly slice the beef for you, or if that is not possible, put it in the freezer for an hour and slice it yourself.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Now it’s your turn. What are your favorite Japanese fast foods? Do you have any interesting uses for shichimi togarashi? If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! -Michael
Like this:
Beef and Red Pepper Salad With Miso Dressing
July 15, 2010
Beef and Red Pepper Salad With Miso Dressing (recipe by Bon Appétit, June 2010)
My notes: Ring the bell! I think this is one of the best recipes I have tried all year. The miso dressing is complex and blends superbly with the flank steak, and the salad as a whole has a wonderful interplay of textures and flavors. Here’s another delicious dish that uses a full cup of cilantro too. Great dinner for a hot summer night!
Another Idea
Also check out my top 9 recipes that use fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 to 1 1/4-pound flank steak
- 1 5-ounce container mixed baby greens
- 2 cups thinly sliced unpeeled Japanese or English hothouse cucumbers
- 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
- 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup thinly sliced green onions (4 to 5)
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced
Ingredient Tip
Miso (used in the dressing for the beef and red pepper salad), a flavorful paste made from fermented soybeans, is sold at some supermarkets and at natural foods stores and Japanese markets. White, yellow, and red varieties are available. The beef salad calls for white, which is the mildest and the least salty. If you can’t find white miso, it’s fine to substitute yellow miso (more intense, but still mild).
Preparation
Puree 3 tablespoons oil and next 4 ingredients in blender until smooth. Season dressing with salt. Transfer 2 tablespoons dressing to small bowl; reserve for steak. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Cook to desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, brushing top of steak with some of reserved dressing during last minute of cooking. Transfer steak, dressing side down, to plate; brush with remaining reserved dressing. Let rest 10 minutes. Thinly slice steak across grain on slight diagonal.
Place greens, cucumbers, bell pepper, cilantro, and onions in large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Divide salad among plates. Top with steak and avocado slices.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to review: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Asian Chicken-Noodle Salad With Snap Peas
June 13, 2010
Asian Chicken-Noodle Salad With Snap Peas (recipe by Bon Appetit, June 2010)
My notes: The mango-sesame dressing in this summery noodle salad is delicious, and it has definitely piqued my interest for other uses. I’m happy to have the recipe in my repertoire. I did have trouble at the grocery store locating the key ingredient, Major Grey’s mango chutney. I was in the correct aisle, but it was located near the ketchup and ham glazes–who knew? The dressing recipe calls for 3/4 cup of chutney, which is precisely one 9 ounce bottle. Some other reviewers thought the dressing is “so good you can drink it”–it really is!
I opted to pan fry the chicken rather than grill it, which worked out quite well. I think less sugar snap peas and more udon would be better.
More ideas for recipes with mango flavor: Mango Chicken Stir Fry With Snap Peas
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to review: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Michael’s Thai Cucumber Salad
May 11, 2010
Michael’s Thai Cucumber Salad (recipe inspired by Ming Tsai)
My notes: Sometimes I work my way backward with a menu, from the dessert to the main dish, or from the appetizer or side dish to the entree. Today I was hungry for my Thai cucumber salad and decided to make one of my favorite main dishes ever: Korean-Style Grilled Flank Steak. The sweet cucumber salad balances out the spiciness of the steak. I prefer to make this healthy and delicious salad with hothouse cucumbers, which have a thin skin. In order to make the dressing you will need to find an asian grocery store which stocks a few basic Japanese items.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup aji-mirin (Kikkoman brand)
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar (Nakano brand, unseasoned)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon wasabi paste, or to taste
- 1 large hothouse cucumber (18 ounces), sliced
- 1 1/4 cups sliced carrots (6 ounces)
- 1/4 large red onion (2 1/2 ounces), chopped
Preparation
To make the dressing whisk together the aji-mirin, rice vinegar, sugar, and wasabi paste in a medium size bowl. Add cucumbers, carrots, and red onion, and toss well. Let the flavors combine in the refrigerator for an hour or more.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to review: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Michael’s Wisconsin-Style Fried Rice
April 2, 2010
Michael’s Wisconsin-Style Fried Rice (recipe by “Oishii”)
My notes: This is my interpretation of fried rice, with a Wisconsin flair. OK–there isn’t such a thing as Wisconsin-style fried rice. This is my idea of humor, and it comes from a strange place because I am a Wisconsinite who has lived in Japan and has adapted some interesting culinary habits. I usually make fried rice with smoked sausage or bratwurst, and it is a time-tested master recipe of mine. Note that fried rice requires “day-old” rice, which is not as sticky, and I detail how to make it below. Like any Japanese household I cook my rice in a rice maker, but if you prefer to follow stove-top directions that is fine.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked (“day old”) Japanese rice (Kokuho Rose, Botan, or Nishiki brands)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 4 ounces of cooked bratwurst or smoked sausage, chopped into small, bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (Kikkoman brand)
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 scallions, chopped (use white and green parts)
- freshly ground pepper
- kosher salt
Preparation
Make “day old rice” one day in advance: Measure out rice and water according to package directions and add to rice maker. Rinse several times with water until the water is no longer chalky. Add water back to rice maker to the measured level and let it set for at least 30 minutes or up to a day. Cook rice. When rice is finished, let it cool, and then put it in a freezer bag. Break up the rice in the bag so it doesn’t stick together. Put freezer bag in refrigerator or freezer to allow rice to dry out over night. This is crucial. Take rice out of refrigerator or freezer. Thaw if taking out of freezer. Break up the rice inside the bag again.
Beat eggs in a small bowl. Set aside.
In another small bowl mix bratwurst or smoked sausage with cornstarch and sesame oil. Heat a very large fry pan or wok on high heat and coat with vegetable oil. Fry bratwurst or smoked sausage mixture until it starts to brown. Add garlic and stir. Fry a minute more.
Stir in the rice and push contents of pan over to one side. Almost half of the pan will be empty. Add beaten eggs to empty side of pan. Pretend you are making an omelet. Let eggs set on edges, push edges down a bit with flat rubber spatula, swirl runnny eggs under edge, and fold set eggs over runny part. When omelet is still a little runny, gently fold rice mixture on top of it.
Quickly stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce. Add scallions and mixed veggies to rice and omelet mixture. Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I develop in my test kitchen. My inspiration comes from cooking magazines (Bon Appétit, Fine Cooking, Food & Wine), cookbooks, blogs, online food communities such as Chowhound.com, popular restaurants, tv shows, friends, and family.
Now it’s your turn. Do you make fried rice? In what variations? We would love to hear from you if you enjoyed this post. -Michael
