(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
If you ask me, taco rice is the kind of food that is hard not to like. Since it was invented in 1984 by Matsuzo Gibo, who owned fast-food joint Parlor Senri near Camp Hansen, taco rice has grown to be one of the most beloved tastes of Okinawa.
The genius of making tacos heartier by replacing taco shells with rice has become a hit not only among locals, but also tourists.
While I would like taco rice for a quick and light lunch, I did not think of it as a treat. Fried ground meat, onion, tomato, lettuce, and cheese served on rice didn’t seem quite special to me. However, a recipe changed my opinion.
Recently, I tried making a taco rice recipe I found on Orion Beer’s website. The local beer company described the recipe as a “spicy taco rice for adults,” and the photo on the website showed a delicious plate served with a glass of beer on the side.
Luckily, this recipe was straightforward and easy to follow. But there was on key lesson for me: Chili powder can make a huge difference. No sooner had I begun mixing fried meat with the red condiment than my mouth watered. As the fried meat was served on rice along with tomato, cheese, lettuce, and lemon, I knew already that I was going to love it.
The taco rice tasted as spicy as advertised. So, I washed it down with a glass of non-alcoholic beer since I still had work to do. However, with this “adult” taco rice, alcohol was not needed to compliment an already delicious, satisfying meal.
Spicy Taco Rice (based upon a recipe by Orion Beer)
Ingredients (for two persons)
Ground beef and pork (150g)
Onion (half a ball)
Garlic (half a clove)
Chili powder (15 cc or less)
Black pepper (as much as you wish)
Olive oil (7.5 cc)
Ketchup (30 cc)
Medium thick sauce or Tonkatsu sauce (7.5 cc)
Salt (two fingertip pinches)
Cherry tomatoes (6 to 7, to be sliced in half or in four pieces)
Any cheese you prefer (50 g)
Lettuce (2 to 3 leaves, to be cut into fine strips)
Rice (for 2 persons)
*For the topping, add sliced lemon, avocado, and spicy sauce depending upon your liking.
Recipe
1. Fry chopped onion with olive oil in a pan. Once the onion becomes soft, add garlic, ground beef, and pork before further frying the mixture.
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
2. When the ground beef and pork are cooked enough, add chili powder to add aroma.
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
3. Add ketchup, medium thick sauce (tonkatsu sauce), and salt before frying the mixture until it becomes dry. Finish it up by adding black pepper.
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
4. Serve up rice and a plate and top it with the fried mixture and other toppings such as sliced cherry tomatoes, cheese, and lettuce.
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
5. Meshiagare (Bon appetit)!
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
*Make sure to dry off your lettuce with a paper towel first. Fry onions, ground beef and pork until they are cooked down and low on moisture, as this will give you a concentrated and crisp flavor.
