Not Okinawan Taco Rice
Unlike the Okinawan original, this Not Okinawan Taco Rice features a Texas-style chili con carne atop white rice, smothered in cheese, shredded lettuce and crumbled tortilla chips.
We first had authentic taco rice on the island of Okinawa and while it was very delicious it didn't really meet our expectations. So we decided to invent a dish that matched our imagination, and hence our Taco Rice was born.
Where the original is cooked using Japanese flavours such as mirin, has no kidney beans and little tomato, our recipe follows a classic chilli con carne - it's just the serving style that differs.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1/2 bell pepper diced
- 1 stick of celery diced
- 3 clove garlic finely chopped
- 1 red chili finely chopped
- 400 g beef mince
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 400 g tin of chopped/minced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp beef stock concentrate
- 230 g drained kidney beans (1 can)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (optional)
- hot sauce to taste (optional)
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
- cooked white rice
- grated cheddar cheese
- shredded lettuce
- avocado chopped into chunks
- plain yoghurt
- salted tortilla chips roughly crumbled
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan to a medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and fry until softened.
Add the chopped bell pepper and celery and fry for 1-2 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic and chili and fry for 1 minute.
Add the beef mince and fry breaking the meat up as it cooks. Add salt and pepper.
Add 1 tbsp of cumin powder, 2 tsp of paprika, 1 tsp of coriander and cayenne pepper powder and 1/2 tsp of onion and garlic powder. Cook for 30 seconds stirring continuously making sure nothing catches.
Add the tomato puree and fry for 1 minute stirring to make sure everything cooks evenly.
Pour in a tin of tomatoes and 1 tbsp of beef stock concentrate, and simmer for 10 minutes. Re-check for seasoning.
When cooked through remove from the heat. Add 3 tbsp of chopped coriander and stir in. Add 1 tsp of dark soy sauce and hot sauce if desired.
Put your desired amount of rice in a bowl. Top with a few ladles of chili con carne.
Add cheese then shredded lettuce and avocado.
Add a few blobs of plain yoghurt and top with roughly crumbled salted tortilla chips. Enjjoy!