Okinawa is a subtropical island south of Japan with a large US military presence. It is also home to Takoraisu. Takoraisu was created in the 1980s as a combination of the Japanese rice bowl (Donburi) and the Tex-Mex flavors introduced by the Americans. It soon became a favorite with military members stationed on the island and is now one of the most popular Okinawan dishes.
Steamed Japanese short-grain rice (sushi rice) is covered with seasoned ground beef, then topped with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, and sour cream. It is great as a comfort food or for a quick weeknight meal.
Marc has also recently posted a version with crispy rice. Looking for other international fusion dishes featuring taco flavors as the base? The Swedish also have the interesting Tacopaj (Taco Quiche).
Takoraisu (Okinawan Taco Rice)
Adapted from Marc Matsumoto
Serves 3-4
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tablespoon chili powder (American chili powder, not ground red chile)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1/2 pound ground beef
3 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice
2 cups shredded lettuce (generally iceberg)
2 tomatoes, diced
3 1/2 ounces cheddar or low sodium mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
In a large pan, drizzle oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook until just fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking up into little pieces, until browned. Stir in the tomato paste, soy sauce, and sake. Continue to cook until the liquid as dissolved. Remove from heat. Season with additional salt and chili powder if needed.
Divide the rice among serving bowls. Top with the seasoned beef, then desired toppings- lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, salsa, and sour cream. Serve immediately.
Tamara Andersen
This is so interesting to me! I guess Tex Mex pops up in all different places… I would never expect to find a dish like this in an Asian country. I recently moved to Texas after 22 years in New Mexico, so maybe I should give this a try…
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
What an interesting fusion! I’ve never heard of a Mexican – Japanese combination before. It looks delicious though!
Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com
Wow, this sounds amazing! It’s like fusion cuisine before that was a trend. I can’t wait to give this a try!
Raia
Sooo… sorta like a taco on rice, eh? Sounds good to me! I’m going to have to give this dish a try. 🙂 Pinning for later!
Tara@SimpleFood365
I saw this on Pinterest and was instantly enthralled. I can’t wait to try it. It looks amazing.
lk529
That’s the prettiest plate of rice I’ve ever seen!
Joanne Miller
Spent 3 yeqrs in Okinawa and headed back in a few months. I wanted to introduce my kids to some of the flavors before we head back as they were all too young to remember it before. This was perfect! Tasted very similar to the local taco rice and my kids really loved it! Thank you!
Tara
Thank you so much Joanne! I hope you have a wonderful time there 🙂