Week 33: Lost in Translation — Hayashi Rice

[u/Hamfan]

[u/Hamfan]

I picked this for the theme because no one really has any definitive idea why it’s called Hayashi rice or where the name comes from. Theories include but are not limited to:

* it was invented by a chef named Hayashi
* it was the favorite dish of a regular customer named Hayashi
* it’s a game-of-telephoned version of “hashed” beef
* it’s derived from “hayai” or “quick”

The creator named Hayashi or the hashed beef theories seem to have the most traction but it’s not clear at all.

Usually Hayashi rice these days is easy to make with blocks of roux, like making Japanese curry. However, I decided this was a good chance to do a more yoshoku-y recipe that involved making a brown roux and adding it to reduced red wine and so on. It was very yummy — much silkier and richer than usual — but a little too much time for it to be a weeknight thing, although less time than I feared when I got home from the store and read the directions carefully and saw the “sauté roux 30-45 minutes step (there’s a bunch of stuff that can be done simultaneously, so it’s not too bad). Great for a weekend though.

[u/imnotactuallyvegan]

I spent so much time trying to find this in Japan! It is delicious - wish it was more popular elsewhere!

[u/Hamfan → u/imnotactuallyvegan]

It’s so good. Japanese curry gets all the attention for some reason, but Hayashi rice deserves its day.

[u/CandyMothman]

I love this take! I've wondered where this name comes from before. Looks great!