ONLY 4 Ingredients! 3 Delish Japanese Rice Recipes (Under 30 Mins!)
1. Ditch the Roux! Easy & Authentic Hayashi Rice Recipe
Hey everyone! Today I’m sharing a super easy and delicious Japanese recipe: Hayashi Rice (ハヤシライス)! Think of it like a Japanese beef stew served over rice. Traditionally, you need a special roux, but I’m going to show you how to make it perfectly without one. It’s quick, easy, and packed with flavor. Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients (Serves 1-2)
Beef: 150g (5.3 oz) thinly sliced (such as sirloin or ribeye)
Onion: 150g (5.3 oz)
Mushrooms: 70g (2.5 oz) (button or cremini work well)
Salt & Pepper
Butter: 5g + 5g (for cooking and finishing)
Olive Oil: 1 tsp
Red Wine: 100ml (3.4 fl oz)
Ketchup: 3 tbsp
Worcestershire Sauce: 1.5 tbsp
Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine): 1 tbsp
Soy Sauce: 1 tsp
All-Purpose Flour: 1 tsp – 2 tsp (optional, for thickening)
Milk: 100ml (3.4 fl oz)
Consommé Powder: 1/2 tsp (or substitute with bouillon)
Cooked Rice: As much as you like!
Instructions
Prep the Vegetables: Slice the onion thinly. Slice or quarter the mushrooms.
Sauté the Onion: Heat 5g of butter and the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened and slightly golden. Caramelizing the onions adds a lot of flavor, but it’s okay if they just soften.
Sear the Beef: Push the onions to the side of the pan and reduce the heat to low. Season the thinly sliced beef with salt and pepper. Cook the beef until it’s mostly cooked through.
Deglaze with Red Wine: Add the red wine to the pan in small increments. Let it reduce slightly after each addition, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This infuses the beef with great flavor.
Add Mushrooms: Once the red wine is almost entirely reduced, add the mushrooms to the pan and stir to coat them with the remaining red wine mixture. Cook until the mushrooms soften.
Add Flavor Boosters: Add the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mirin, and soy sauce to the pan. Mix everything well. (If you like, you can use tomato paste/sauce instead of some of the ketchup, adjust salt to taste later)
Thicken (Optional): If you want a thicker sauce, sprinkle in a little flour (1-2 teaspoons). Mix well to avoid clumps. You can skip this step for a lighter sauce.
Add Milk and Consommé: Pour in the milk and add the consommé powder. Stir to combine. You can substitute bouillon for consommé.
Simmer and Reduce: Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes, allowing it to reduce to your desired thickness.
Finishing Touch: Stir in the remaining 5g of butter for added richness.
Serve: Spoon the Hayashi sauce over a bed of hot cooked rice.
Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
Beef: Thinly sliced beef cooks the fastest.
Onions: Take your time sautéing the onions for the best flavor.
Flour: Add a little bit of flour to thicken your sauce. If you don’t want to thicken your sauce this is fine.
Variations: Feel free to add other vegetables like carrots or bell peppers.
I hope you enjoy this easy and authentic Hayashi Rice recipe! Let me know in the comments if you try it! Don’t forget to subscribe for more easy Japanese recipes. Happy cooking!
2. Crispy Chicken with Zingy Ginger Sauce: A Taste of Japan!
Hey everyone! Today, I’m sharing a recipe that’s crispy, flavorful, and oh-so-refreshing: Crispy Chicken with Ginger Sauce! This dish features juicy, crispy chicken drizzled with a tangy and addictive ginger sauce. We’ll also make a quick cucumber pickle to round out the meal. Get ready for a burst of flavor!
Ingredients (Serves 1-2)
■ Crispy Chicken
Chicken: 200g (7 oz) (boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast)
Soy Sauce: 1 tsp
Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine): 1 tsp
Sake (Rice Wine): 1 tsp
Grated Ginger: 1/3 tsp
Grated Garlic: 1/3 tsp
Potato Starch (or Cornstarch): About 3 tbsp
Frying Oil: As needed
■ Ginger Sauce
Minced Ginger: 2-3 tbsp
Ponzu Sauce: 3 tbsp
Sesame Oil: 1 tsp
Honey or Beet Sugar Syrup: 1 tsp
■ Cucumber Pickle
Cucumber: 200g (7 oz)
Salt: Pinch
Soy Sauce: 2 tsp
Sesame Oil: 1 tsp
Rice Vinegar: 1 tsp
Sugar: 1/2 tsp
Grated Garlic: 1/3 tsp
MSG (Ajinomoto): Pinch (optional)
White Sesame Seeds: As needed
■ Cooked Rice: As much as you like!
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken: Remove the skin from the chicken (optional) and trim any excess fat. Use a fork to poke holes all over the chicken. Marinate the chicken with soy sauce, mirin, sake, grated ginger, and grated garlic. Massage the seasonings into the chicken and let it sit for at least 15 minutes.
Make the Cucumber Pickle: Peel the cucumber (optional) and cut it into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, combine the cucumber with salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, grated garlic, MSG (optional), and sesame seeds. Mix well and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the dish.
Prepare the Ginger Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the minced ginger, ponzu sauce, sesame oil, and honey (or beet sugar syrup). Mix well. If you don’t have ponzu, you can substitute it with a mixture of citrus juice (like orange or lemon), soy sauce, and a pinch of dashi powder.
Coat and Fry the Chicken: Coat the marinated chicken evenly with potato starch (or cornstarch). Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the chicken for about 3 minutes on one side, then flip and fry for another 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Rest and Cut the Chicken: Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 1-2 minutes before cutting it into bite-sized pieces.
Assemble and Serve: Arrange the cut chicken on a plate. Spoon the ginger sauce generously over the chicken. Serve with the cucumber pickle and a bowl of rice. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
Chicken: Chicken thighs will be more juicy and forgiving.
Ginger Sauce: Adjust the amount of ginger and honey to your preference.
Cucumber Pickle: The longer the cucumber pickles sit, the more flavorful they will be.
Crispy Chicken: Use potato starch for extra crispiness!
Skin: Removing the skin allows the marinade and ginger sauce flavors to penetrate better.
I hope you enjoy this Crispy Chicken with Ginger Sauce! It’s a guaranteed flavor explosion. Don’t forget to subscribe for more easy Japanese recipes! Happy cooking!
3. Simple & Delicious: Egg Fried Rice with Glazed Sweet & Spicy Chicken!
Hey everyone! Today, I’m sharing a quick and easy meal that’s packed with flavor: Egg Fried Rice with Glazed Sweet & Spicy Chicken! This is a great weeknight meal that’s perfect for when you’re short on time but still want something delicious. Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients (Serves 1)
■ Egg Fried Rice
Cooked Warm Rice: 170g (6 oz)
Minced Green Onions: To taste
Egg: 1
Oil: 1 tbsp
Salt & Pepper: To taste
MSG (Ajinomoto): Pinch (optional)
White Pepper: Pinch (optional)
■ Glazed Sweet & Spicy Chicken
Chicken: 150g (5.3 oz) (chicken tenders, breast, or thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces)
Salt & Pepper: To taste
Potato Starch (or Cornstarch): 1 tbsp
Oil: 1 tbsp
Gochujang (Korean Chili Paste): 1/2 tbsp
Ketchup: 1/2 tbsp
Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine): 1/2 tbsp
Sugar: 1/2 tbsp
Soy Sauce: 1/2 tsp
Sesame Oil: 1/2 tsp
Minced Garlic: 1/3 tsp
Sesame Seeds: For garnish
Instructions
Prep the Ingredients: Mince the green onions. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk the egg.
Coat the Chicken: Coat the chicken pieces in a thin layer of potato starch (or cornstarch). Be careful not to use too much, or the coating will become soggy.
Make the Egg Fried Rice: Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour in the egg and immediately add the warm rice. Use a spatula (or chopsticks) to mix the egg and rice together well. Add the minced green onions, salt, pepper, MSG (optional), and white pepper. Stir-fry over high heat until the rice is heated through and the grains are separated. Plate the fried rice.
Cook the Chicken: In the same frying pan, add a little more oil and heat over medium heat. Add the coated chicken and cook for about 2 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes, or until cooked through. Turn off the heat.
Make the Glaze: Move the chicken to the side of the pan to create space in the middle. Add the gochujang, ketchup, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, and minced garlic to the center of the pan. Mix well to combine.
Glaze the Chicken: Turn the heat back on to low. Coat the chicken thoroughly with the sweet and spicy glaze, allowing it to reduce slightly.
Serve: Sprinkle the chicken with sesame seeds and serve alongside the egg fried rice. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
Rice: Warm rice is easier to mix with the egg.
Chicken: You can use any cut of chicken for this recipe.
Glaze: Adjust the amount of gochujang and sugar to your preference for spice and sweetness.
High Heat: Stir-frying the rice over high heat is key to getting fluffy, separated grains.
I hope you enjoy this quick and easy Egg Fried Rice with Glazed Sweet & Spicy Chicken! Let me know in the comments if you try it. Don’t forget to subscribe for more delicious and easy recipes! Happy cooking!