What is Hayashi Rice?

What does Hayashi Rice taste like? It has a savoury, sweet and slightly tangy flavour. It is a perfect cold season meal. It is a Japanese stew made from thin slices of beef, mushrooms and lots of onions. It is a very popular family meal in Japan.

Before my celiac diagnosis, I enjoyed making this with a boxed Hayashi Rice roux. You can buy many different brands of hayashi roux in Japanese grocery stores, unfortunately I have yet to see a gluten-free version in Japan or Canada. You can also use a canned demi-glaze sauce and red wine for the base, but I haven't been able to find a gluten-free canned demi-glaze sauce where I live and I've never been able to make a good homemade version. I found through experimentation that the mix of sauces and seasonings in my recipe makes a pretty good hayashi rice. My Japanese husband thinks it tastes like Japanese Hayashi Rice.

In this blog I'll cover the following:

• Gluten-Free Hayashi Rice Recipe
• Main Ingredients For Gluten-Free Hayashi Rice

Gluten-Free Hayashi Rice Recipe

Gluten-Free Hayashi Rice Recipe (Serves 6)

Ingredients

• 500 grams thinly sliced beef
• 500 grams sliced onions
• 130 grams sliced carrots
• 100 - 200 grams sliced mushrooms
• 1 - 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 400 mL can of tomatoes
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 Tablespoons gluten-free worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tablespoons gluten-free soya sauce
• 1 - 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 - 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup of water (instant pot) or 1 cup (stove top) Note: you can use beef broth if you want to intensify the flavour.
• salt and pepper to taste, about 1 teaspoon each
• 1 to 2 packets of gluten-free brown gravy, I like to use McCormick's gluten-free gravy
• oil for frying
• Make rice for the side dish. Usually I use short grain rice.

Directions

1. Wash, peel and cut all your vegetables.
2. Oil your pot or instant pot and saute the beef.
3. Add the onions, stir and fry for about 5 minutes. Then add the rest of the vegetables (not the canned tomatoes) and fry for about 3 more minutes
4. Now add all the other ingredients except the gravy packet(s). You will add the gravy packet(s) at the end of cooking.
5. Give everything a good stir.
6. If using the Instant Pot, turn off saute and cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes. Let release naturally. Then turn saute on low and add your gravy packet(s). Start with one and see if it thickens to your likening. Add another if needed. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
7. If using a pot on the stove, then bring to a boil. You may need to use more water with the stove top method, depending how much liquid is in the canned tomatoes. Turn to simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for about 30 to 40 minutes. When the vegetables are soft add your gravy packet. I usually just need to use one when I use the stove top method as the liquid evaporates more. Stir until well mixed in and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Taste and adjust your seasonings.
8. Serve with rice.

Main Ingredients For Gluten-Free Hayashi Rice

Here are all the ingredients I use for my Hayashi Rice recipe.

You need thin slices of beef. I try to buy my beef pre-sliced. I ask the butcher at the supermarket to cut it for sukiyaki. If I'm unable to get it sliced then I will partially freeze a roast and then it is easier to slice thinly.

In a large pot or your instant pot put in a couple of tablespoons of oil and add the beef to fry. Use the medium saute setting on your instant pot.

While the beef is frying, prep your vegetables. Cut up the onion. Thinly if cooking on the stove and thicker if using the instant pot. The onions if thin will melt in the instant pot and you want them to retain some texture.

Slice your carrots. This is an optional ingredient. I like the sweetness they add.

Slice the mushrooms. I like to use neutral flavoured white or brown mushrooms.

Mince the garlic. Or use jarred minced garlic like I did.

After the beef has fried a bit and has some colour, add the onions and garlic and fry for a few minutes.

Now gather the rest of the ingredients. I like to use whole canned tomatoes and cut them up.

Here is the gluten-free Worcestershire sauce I like. It is French's and I think it tastes great. Any red wine vinegar you like will work. This is the one I use.

Above is a photo of all the spices and flavourings I use to give it a demi-glace flavour.

You will also need about a cup of water or gluten-free beef broth.

Add all the ingredients except the gluten-free gravy packet to your pot or instant pot and mix. If cooking on the stove top then bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cook for about an hour. If using the instant pot then set to high pressure for 15 minutes and let release naturally.

I like using McCormick's gluten-free gravy mix. Either the brown or onion flavour. Once everything is cooked I add the gravy mix. One packet if I used the stove top method and two packets if I used the instant pot. For the instant pot I put it on low saute and mix in the gravy till it thickens. When using the instant pot you will end up with more liquid broth as it doesn't evaporate like when cooking on the stove top.

Once all cooked serve with a side of rice. A variation of Hayashi Rice is Omuhayashi Rice. This is a combination of two popular Japanese dishes. Omurice, which is rice topped with an omelette and then it is covered in Hayashi Rice stew.

Another popular family meal is Japanese Curry Rice. You can find many variations of Japanese Curry in restaurants and homes throughout Japan. The boxed curry roux usually used is not glute-free. After many tries I came up with a recipe that tastes very close to a Japanese curry. Here is a link to my Japanese Curry Recipe if you'd like to try it.

Note: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Always seek out a medical opinion for medical concerns. Not sponsored. If sponsored I will always say so at the top of the post.