Oh My Omurice!

Ah Japan. My Beloved. I’ve been avoiding most things that stir up all those sensitive memories I have of my time there. Alas, the last couple weeks I have lapsed. So many conflicting and powerful emotions have awoken from their long intentionally induced slumber.  How does this relate to food, you ask? In every way. The experience you have from visiting a country as a tourist is never the same as the experience you have when you live there. When you wake up every morning and breath that air, see that city and walk through its streets. When your mind forgets that you are in a “different” place. When you forget that you are a gaijin, a foreigner, an outsider. You have been sucked in. Absorbed by that environment. The music of your body has become part of the symphony of that is that city, that country. The little things like stopping at a convenience store on your way home to get an onigiri (rice ball) and a piece of fried chicken or going to the 99 yen store to stock up on instant noodles and PET bottle (plastic bottle) drinks for the weekend. You can never prepare for the gaping void that is left behind once you are wrenched out of that world.

Manga and anime were a big part of my introduction to Japan. Food, like in many forms of art or fiction around the world, is often featured to provide everything from basic reflections of everyday life to deep philosophical discussions on society and much more. Aside from all the pocky, purrin (pudding, caramel custard) and ramune, there is another item that frequently appears in the pop arts of Japan that is much closer to my heart. The humble Omurice. Oh-moo-rice. It’s cheap to make, easy to prepare and is very satisfying to almost all your urges when cooking or eating (I like to cook, and it’s fun to make is what I’m basically saying).  It is usually a flavoured fried rice encased in an omelette. Ketchup is the most common sauce of choice but I have had ones made of buttered or curried rice.

I fried some minced onion, garlic and pork belly in some olive oil before tossing in the rice. Fried that up a bit then added Korean barbeque marinade, ketchup and salt. Piled that onto a plate before heating up some more oil to fry the eggs (2 eggs, salt, pepper and a dash of sesame oil) into an fluffy medium omelette (I like it better when the omelette is not well done) and slid it over the orange mound of rice. Garnished with more ketchup and Korean bbq marinade. DEKITA! Done! Delicious!

The caramelised ketchup provides that sweet tang that makes you salivate which is why such a simple dish made out of simple ingredients can pack such a satisfying punch to your taste buds. Frying the ketchup and seasonings in the pan with the rice really draws out a depth of flavour that you wouldn’t usually expect. It’s juicy, tangy, savoury and fragrant. And there’s a big pile of it! And the tender fluffy omelette melds together the mellow richness of fresh eggs with the warm vibrant sharper flavours of the rice. The generosity of this dish (you can’t have a tiny portion!) just adds to the comfort. You feel like you are the one tucked under the protective eggy duvet, nestled snugly amongst the field of plump succulent rice grains. It makes me feel safe. It makes me feel at home. It makes me feel like I still have a little ember of living in Japan glowing in my heart. Sigh. Plus it’s cute.