🍚 Tori-Meshi (Mixed Rice with Chicken)

The people of Oita prefecture are one of the top consumers of chicken meat in the country. Chicken meat is a traditional ingredient used to make many local dishes. Usa city is where “karaage” (=Japanese fried chicken) was born. “Karaage,” “toriten” (=tempura style fried chicken) and “niwatorijiru” (=chicken soup) are some local chicken dishes from Oita. “Tori meshi” is mixed rice made with chicken meat, “gobou” (=burdock) and carrots. The number and types of ingredients used differ per region and the family that makes it. When food was scarce, chicken meat was an important source of protein and local families raised chickens at home, although there are no longer many households that do so. This dish was influenced by rice made with pheasant or pigeon meat, a menu that was served by hunters to their guests.