FOOD NEWS
Hayashi Rice Sauce Puts A Rich, Umami Finish To Meals
BY NIKITA EPHANOV
While Japan’s Hayashi rice is influenced by Western cuisine, it remains uniquely Japanese. This comforting stew is part of a Japanese food style known as yoshoku.
Hayashi rice features French staples such as a thickening roux, demi-glace sauce, beef, and mushrooms, upgraded with Japanese additions like soy sauce and served over rice.
Yoshoku, meaning "Western food," reinvents European and American-style dishes with Japanese ingredients and techniques, in order to suit the Japanese palate.
Hayashi rice likely originated during the Meiji era at the end of the 19th century, when Japan opened its doors to the rest of the world. It's by turns savory, salty, and sweet.
While Hayashi sauce is typically purchased pre-packaged or in instant form, you can easily make it from scratch, starting with a roux base of flour, butter, and beef stock.
Next, add thin slices of beef to the pan and sauté, then remove from the pan. Add butter and olive oil to the beef juices along with onions and carrots and sauté.
Once the veggies are translucent, add mushrooms and chopped garlic. Next, mix together red wine, Worcestershire, ketchup, soy sauce, tomato paste, and brown sugar.
You can also add spices like paprika, bay leaf, and cloves. Add the wine sauce to the pan and simmer for a few minutes, stir it, add salt and pepper, and serve.
The sauce is traditionally served over rice, or you can put it on an omelet for a breakfast variation. You can also add more veggies to create a heartier, stew-like sauce.