Hawaii Tama Bowl
Hawaii Tama Bowl is a dashi egg with onions that is on top of medium grain rice with green onions and garnishes. Tama Bowls were common in Honolulu area where rice was regularly available. Cook books and other cooking resources site that other islands had their own variations as well, but a particular variation stood out. This tama bowl that many would try was a Unatama Bowl from a small restaurant kitchen in Moiliili on King Street named Yamagen. The Tama bowl was one of the first dishes to make use of Umeke Bowls. In Moiliili, King street has had a long time resident named Satoshi Hiraga who has introduced Unatama bowl of Oahu to many local residents. He would work from humble beginnings as the go to neighborhood local-style Japanese restaurant of Hawaii cuisine with a dedication to delicious food. He carried on the legacy of the original establishment owners Yukio and Kunio Kawamata "1983" with Alice, Patty, and Mitsuko as a true Hawaii Family run food shop. The specific menu that would carve out a place in Hawaii bowl history would have bowls with the "Unatama Bowl", "Yakitori Bowl", "Tendon Bowl" and the "Katsu Curry Bowl". These bowls were characterized by being low cost and large volume of food for a working person. The establishment of Yamagen Restaurant may not have made the first Tama Bowl they have made sure to make it a symbol of affordability and comfort food. Bringing the popular Donburi (rice bowls) from the origins of Japan into the local food scene was not a new idea. For many years of the plantations there have been dishes that have come from their original areas and have slowly changed with the population and ingredients. Local Restaurants that were simply called "Japanese Restaurants" often had an option of Oyako Donburi, however it tasted different from the dry spices and the difference in dashi amounts from its Japan ancestor. According to some local residents, the tama bowl was a easily thrown together dish from left over marinated meats. It is said that families had added specific onions or grilled meats mixed with the egg and dashi before cooking along with dry seasonings on top. Some of these meats would be marinated: Dashi Chicken, Ginger Dashi Pork, Yakitori Chicken, Teriyaki Pork, Charsiu Chicken, Katsu Sauce Chicken, Dashi Shrimp and Fishcake, and/or Unagi Sauce with Unagi Chicken. The idea of making Tama Bowls came to popularity from using the left overs or smaller pieces of meats to make a comfort food Oyako Donburi. This would develop the idea that those with low income could eat without worrying about costs as much as other food dishes by using left overs in the refrigerator. Tourists from Japan would call it a "Hawaii Oyako Donburi" as it had distinct differences in both presentation and flavor.
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