おはよう友達 ! That means good morning friends in Japanese. I (Gianni) am currently fully embracing my inner otaku by learning to speak, read and write in Japanese. This recipe is an homage to the Japanese “omeretsu” which is actually an homage to the standard American omelette. Inception, or should I say omelette-ception. I’ll stop.
This recipe is also the first installment of a segment I like to call:
Gourmet Versions of Things I Saw My Roommates Cook in College
This one is inspired by my former roommate and one of my best friends, Caleb Rittler. In college, I watched Cal make the same breakfast every day. A two egg omelette. Pretty standard. He would then slather/glaze the omelette in a thick layer of ketchup. Disgusting, I know. But then again, I’ve never really been a ketchup and eggs person… Or so I thought…
Flash forward a few years and I’m getting bored with standard breakfast fare and trying to find some more creative recipes to break the fast. I stumble upon a video of a Japanese chef effortlessly whipping up a beautifully fluffy omelette over fried rice and drizzling it with a dark, savory sauce. I had to try it!
I practiced making omelettes (the key is a non-stick pan) and then I set about discovering what this delectable “okonomiyaki” sauce was comprised of. After a bit of research, I learned that it is essentially ketchup, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce mixed together.
I made my first attempt at the dish and I was blown away by the marriage of flavors. The creamy, custard like omelette, the nutty toasted fried rice, the tangy, umami-packed okonomiyaki sauce… Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was essentially eating a ketchup glazed omelette.
Cal, if you’re reading this, "おはよう友達". Which means, "I am deeply, and respectfully sorry". I will no longer be a ketchup on eggs hater, but I will try to make it a little more “extra.”
P.S. Serve this up with Cara’s simple cinnamon rolls (based on this copycat cinnabon recipe), pour a nice mimosa, and you’ve got yourself a pretty bangin’ brunch!
This recipe serves 1 person. If serving 2 or more people; double, triple, or quadruple accordingly!
Okonomiyaki Sauce:
• 3 Tbs ketchup
• 1 Tbs soy sauce
• 1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tsp fish sauce (optional)
Omelette with Fried Rice:
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/8 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 strips cooked bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup leftover rice
• 1/4 cup frozen vegetable blend (I used peas, carrots and corn).
• 1 Tsp soy sauce
• 1 Tsp lemon juice with zest
• 1 Tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 Tbs Okonomiyaki sauce
• Furikake (Japanese rice seasoning) to taste
Directions:
1. If making the bacon, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and cook for 10-12 minutes until crisp.
2. Make Okonomikayi sauce by combining ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and fish sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat two eggs in a bowl and set aside.
4. Sauté vegetable blend until soft, about 10 minutes.
5. Add rice, cooked vegetable blend and cooked bacon into a pan and stir fry.
6. Add soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger, furikake and Okonomiyaki sauce to rice and cook until everything is incorporated, about 5 minutes.
6. Add beaten eggs to a non-stick pan and cook until the bottom layer is firm and can be lifted by a spoonula.
7. Sprinkle shredded cheese over eggs and fold in half.
8. Arrange fried rice in a rectangle formation on a plate and gently layer omelette on top.
9. Drizzle with remaining Okonomiyaki sauce and sprinkle more furikake and enjoy!
いただきます ! (Let’s eat!)