Chahan (dish)

Chahan (Japanese: チャーハン/炒飯, Hepburn: chāhan), also known as Yakimeshi (Japanese: 焼飯 or 焼き飯), is a Japanese fried rice dish prepared with rice as a primary ingredient and myriad additional ingredients and seasonings. The dish is typically fried, and can be cooked in a wok. Chahan may have originated in the 1860s from Chinese immigrants arriving at the port of Kobe. Chahan is a staple food in homes in Japan.^[1] Some restaurants outside Japan serve the dish as a part of their fare.

Chahan

A chahan fried rice dish prepared with many ingredients, at a restaurant in Naha, Okinawa, Japan
Alternative names	チャーハン/炒飯
Associated cuisine	Japan
Created by	Chinese immigrants
Invented	1860s
Main ingredients	Fried rice
Media: Chahan

History

Chahan may have originated from Chinese immigrants who arrived at the port of Kobe, Japan in the 1860s. In Chinese, fried rice is called chǎofàn (炒飯); these same Chinese characters have a Japanese reading of Chāhan.^[2]

Preparation

Chahan can be shaped when serving for aesthetic appeal.

Chahan is a Japanese fried rice dish that is typically cooked in a wok.^[3][1] Rice is used as a primary ingredient, and a wide range of additional ingredients can be used including scrambled egg, vegetables, onion, garlic, edible mushrooms such as shiitake, tofu, pork, as well as seafoods such as crab meat, roe, and shrimp.^{[1][4][5][6][7]} Oils such as canola oil, sesame oil and sunflower oil are used to fry the dish.^[1][6] The dish can be seasoned with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, pepper and katsuobushi, a dried and flaked tuna product.^[6][7] Shiso, an Asian culinary herb, may also be used to flavor chahan.^[8] Nori, a dried edible seaweed product, can be used as a garnish.^[8]

The use of a hot wok for frying and cooking chahan quickly can prevent the rice from sticking to the pan, and using warm rice also prevents pan sticking.^[2] The use of pre-cooked and refrigerated rice is also conducive toward enhancing the cooking process.^[1][8]

Variations

Takana chahan is prepared with takanazuke (pickled takana) as a primary ingredient.

See also

• Food portal
• Japan portal

• Japanese cuisine
• List of fried rice dishes
• List of Japanese dishes
• List of rice dishes
• Omurice – Western-influenced Japanese dish consisting of an omelette with rice

References

1. Samuels, D.; Robbins, H. (2013). My Japanese Table: A Lifetime of Cooking with Friends and Family. Tuttle Publishing. p. pt272–273. ISBN 978-1-4629-0638-3.
2. Ono, T.; Salat, H. (2013). Japanese Soul Cooking: Ramen, Tonkatsu, Tempura, and More from the Streets and Kitchens of Tokyo and Beyond. Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony. pp. 397–398. ISBN 978-1-60774-353-8.
3. Sakamoto, T.; Ltd, M.C.I.P. (2013). Cook Japanese with Tamako: Hearty Meals for the Whole Family. Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited. pp. 32–33. ISBN 978-981-4516-87-7.
4. Hachisu, N.S.; Miura, K. (2012). Japanese Farm Food. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 152. ISBN 978-1-4494-1829-8.
5. Stallings, D.; Butler, S.E. (2011). Fodor's Japan. Fodor's. p. 834. ISBN 978-0-307-48049-1.
6. "Receita de tako chahan: arroz frito com polvo e cogumelo shitake". Mundo-Nipo (in Portuguese). September 14, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
7. "Receita de ninniku chahan: arroz frito com alho, shissô e katsuobushi". Mundo-Nipo (in Portuguese). July 15, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
8. "Garlic Fried Rice (Chahan)". The Washington Post. April 22, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2016.