Omurice

Roughly speaking, Japanese cuisine can be divided into two major categories, Washoku and Yoshoku.

Washoku literary means Japanese dishes.  They are the "traditional" Japanese dishes, using the "traditional" Japanese ingredients such as soy sauce, mirin, miso, dashi etc.

Yoshoku refers to a Western-influenced Japanese cooking , which originated in the Meiji Restoration(1860's), a period of rapid modernization when the country opened its doors to Europe and America after two centuries of economic and cultural isolationism . Quite often, yoshoku involves ingredients like tomato ketchup, Worcester sauce, butter, milk, etc. 

Today's recipe is for Omurice, one of the most popular Yoshoku dish.  It is basically a ketchupy fried rice wrapped in a thin sheet of fried egg. Omurice is a very popular dish among kids, and it is also a popular lunch menu. It's quick and easy, and can be nutritious if you add a variety of finely chopped vegetables in the fried rice. (my suggestions: broccoli, carrots, green peppers, spinach etc)

Ingredients (for one):
200ml  Cooked Rice (short grain rice)
25g Chicken thigh or breast (cut into small cubes)
1/4  Onion (minced)
3 mushrooms (sliced)

For the thin sheet of fried egg:
1 large egg + 1TBS milk whisked together

1. Heat oil or butter in a skillet and saute chicken. Add the vegetables and saute together until softened.

2. Add 1-2 tsp oil. Add the rice. Stir-fry for a few minutes, using chopsticks or a wooden spoon to break it apart. Stir in 1TBS ketchup and toss rapidly - you don't want to make it soggy, you just want to season the rice with ketchup, evenly.  Season with salt and pepper.

3. Now we will make the fried egg. In another skillet, heat oil and pour the egg mixture into the skillet.  Quickly spread the egg and make a round omelet (kind of like a crape). Place the ketchpy fried rice in the centre of the omelet and fold top and bottom sides of the omelet over the rice.

4. Cover the skillet with a plate and carefully turn them over to place the "omurice"on to the plate.
Squirt with a little ketchup on top - Drawing a smiley face or spelling a name with ketchup is fun, too!
Serve immediately.