Taco rice

Not to be confused with Tako (disambiguation). For other uses, see Taco (disambiguation).
The original taco rice w/cheese and vegetables of Parlor Senri
side view
Another example of taco rice.

Taco rice (タコライス takoraisu) is a Japanese dish and a popular example of Okinawan cuisine. It consists of taco-flavored ground beef served on a bed of rice, frequently served with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato and salsa.[1][2]

Charlie's Tacos, serving tacos in shells made from rice flour, had been established in 1956 as the first "taco place" on Okinawa.[3] Taco rice was created in 1984 by Matsuzo Gibo and introduced at two of his cafes, Parlor Senri and King Tacos, located just a minute from the main gate of Camp Hansen in Kin, Okinawa.[4][5]

Taco rice is a popular dish among U.S. military personnel stationed in Okinawa as lunch or late night food. KFC put it on their menu throughout Japan for a time during the 1990s and Yoshinoya, (nationwide gyudon restaurant), serves it in the chain's restaurants in Okinawa prefecture.[5] It is one of the most well-known dishes of the Okinawan cuisine outside of Okinawa.

The Tex-Mex flavor is sometimes emulated through the use of soy sauce, mirin and sake. Occasionally it is served with rice in a tortilla roll. The ingredients of taco meat, rice, and cheese are combined, dipped in batter, and deep fried into a "taco rice ball", served with salsa or tomato ketchup.

References

  1. ↑ "Today's Food Culture - Time to rediscover traditional cooking". Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau. 31 March 2005. Archived from the original on 30 November 2006. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  2. ↑ Sean Williams (2013). The Ethnomusicologists' Cookbook: Complete Meals from Around the World. Routledge. p. 49. ISBN 9781135518967. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  3. ↑ Christopher Scharping (2012). Searching for Happily Ever After. Xlibris Corporation. p. 49. ISBN 9781479732401. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "This Japanese Dish Exists Only Because Of The US Military". We Are The Mighty. 17 March 2015. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  5. 1 2 Oscar Johnson and Elena Sugiyama (28 March 2015), "A TRIBUTE TO TACO RICE: The U.S. military's favorite Mex-Oki fusion food", Stars and Stripes Okinawa, archived from the original on 19 May 2015, retrieved 19 May 2015
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