Cloudy and cool Monday

Today is a sudden change from the cheerful early summer atmosphere to a cloudy and cool Monday. The temperature drop makes it a day better suited for warm clothing rather than light ones. I have decided to wear my light blue half-coat, which I bought at a department store in Osaka. My cravings for something warm to eat have led me to consider making either cream stew or hayashi rice. Given that I used chicken in the nabe dish yesterday, I have opted to make hayashi rice with beef today.

When I think of hayashi rice, I associate it with hashed beef and beef stroganoff, all of which use beef and onions as common ingredients. However, my understanding of their origins was incorrect. Beef stroganoff is a popular dish in Russia and Ukraine, while hashed beef is from American and British cuisine, and hayashi rice is a Japanese-style Western dish.

I intended to buy hayashi rice, but I couldn't find any, so I bought a packaged hashed beef roux instead. I will use beef scraps, onions, mushrooms, and a bell pepper that I have in the refrigerator to make the dish.

In the past, I have made beef stroganoff using the same ingredients as hayashi rice and hashed beef, but without a packaged roux. Instead, I mixed ketchup and a little vinegar into the sautéed ingredients and simmered them in beef bouillon soup. Although the authentic version includes sour cream, I opted to use vinegar instead, as it is slightly lighter in flavor. All three dishes are served with white rice, and beef stroganoff can also be served with butter rice or spaghetti.

Despite the gloomy weather outside, I noticed some flowers and greenery on my way to the store, which brightened my mood.