Omurice

Omurice (Omelette Rice)

A beloved Japanese yōshoku comfort dish: ketchup-seasoned chicken fried rice tucked inside a thin, silky omelette. The omurice is traditionally finished with a squiggle of ketchup or a pour of demi-glace sauce.

Prep

15 min

Cook

20 min

Total

35 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •320 g (2 cups (uncooked)) short-grain or medium-grain white rice, cook so it is slightly drier than usual, then cool
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) neutral oil (for the rice)
• •150 g (5¼ oz) boneless skinless chicken thigh, diced small; breast works but is less juicy
• •120 g (½ medium) yellow onion, finely diced
• •120 g (⅓ cup) ketchup, plus more for the egg, divided; Japanese-style ketchup is slightly sweeter
• •5 ml (1 tsp) soy sauce
• •2 g (½ tsp) fine salt, to taste
• •1 g (¼ tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •8 g (1 tsp) unsalted butter
• •6 large eggs, about 50 g each, at room temperature
• •10 g (2 tsp) milk or water (optional), helps the omelette stay tender
• •5 g (1 tsp) neutral oil (for each omelette)
• •1 g (pinch) fine salt (for the eggs)
• •chopped parsley or chives, to taste, optional garnish

Steps

1. 1 Cook the rice ahead so it is cold and a little dry (about 320 g raw yields ~640 g cooked; spread on a tray to cool quickly). Cold rice fries properly and keeps the omurice from turning soggy.
2. 2 Heat 15 ml oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the diced chicken and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until the pieces are opaque and lightly browned on the edges. Transfer to a plate; the chicken is safely cooked when it reaches 74 °C / 165 °F internal.
3. 3 Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion to the same pan with a splash more oil if needed and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.
4. 4 Return the chicken to the pan. Add the cold rice and break up any clumps with a spatula. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until everything is hot and the grains are separate.
5. 5 Season the rice with 120 g ketchup, 5 ml soy sauce, 2 g salt, and 1 g pepper. Toss for about 1 minute so the ketchup coats the rice evenly and smells toasty. Taste and adjust salt. Keep the fried rice warm while you cook the omelettes.
6. 6 For each omelette, whisk 3 eggs with a pinch of salt and about 5 g milk or water in a small bowl just until the whites and yolks are just combined (do not overbeat; you want a tender texture).
7. 7 Heat a 22–24 cm non-stick pan over medium heat with 5 g butter and 5 ml oil. When the butter has just stopped foaming, pour in the 3 eggs and swirl to cover the pan.
8. 8 Using a spatula, gently push the set edges toward the centre while tilting the pan so the raw egg flows into the gaps. Cook for 60–90 seconds total; the surface should still look wet and glossy but not liquid. The omelette should be pale yellow and soft, not browned.
9. 9 Immediately spoon about 160 g of the warm chicken rice in a line across the centre of the omelette. Fold one side over, then slide the omurice seam-side down onto a plate so the rice is fully wrapped in a smooth, pillow-shaped omelette.
10. 10 Repeat for the remaining 3 portions, wiping the pan and re-oiling between batches.
11. 11 To serve, draw a thin zigzag of ketchup across the top with a squeeze bottle or the back of a spoon. If you have demi-glace, warm it and spoon it over instead for the more traditional Western-Japanese restaurant style. Garnish with parsley or chives if you like.