Loco Moco is a Hawaiian style beef patty on rice, topped with savory onolicious gravy, a fried egg, and crispy papaya shreds with scallion.
Loco Moco
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
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Loco Moco is my recipe of the day for the blogging event Brunch Week. Your favorite bloggers have been posting together each year the best in foodtastic breakfast recipes. We’ll be posting all week long, so stay tuned.
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Loco Moco is a local Hawaiian dish that originated in the Hawaiian Islands on the island of Hilo in the late 1940’s. As with all famous dishes, the original chef is hotly debated.
I made my version with the bit of crispy papaya threads the way I have seen local Hawaiian chefs prepare it here in Cincinnati. I have to tell you that is the most fantastic touch.
Of course, it is possible that you cannot get a green papaya (regular papaya just won’t do-it needs to be unripe). In that case, I strongly suggest using crispy fried meehoon noodles (or rice vermicelli). You may have seen this done elsewhere in Chinese recipes such as Mongolian beef, or as a soup topping. While not exactly the same, it does also add a nice effect. You could also use crisp fried onions if you need.
The Loco Moco makes a wonderful item for brunch and adds a bit of the tropics to your first meal of the day. With a pitcher of pineapple iced tea for your drinks and lots of fresh fruit, such as pineapple, you’ll be quite set.
Brunch Week
Monday Recipes:
Beverages
- Cold Brew Coffee Boba from That Recipe
Appetizers and Salads
- Masala Labneh Pastry Swirls from Magical Ingredients
- Smoked Trout Polenta Canapés from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Smoked Turkey Cheddar Kabobs with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce from A Little Fish in the Kitchen
Breads, Grains, and Cereals
- GF Biscuits and Gravy from Frugal & Fit
- Korvapuustit (Finnish Cinnamon Rolls) from Tara’s Multicultural Table
- Quick and Easy Buttermilk Biscuits from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Strawberry Muffins from Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
Egg Dishes
- Crustless Broccoli and Cheese Mini Quiches from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Naan Breakfast Pizza from Cheese Curd In Paradise
Main Dishes
- Bacon, Tomato, and Corn Galette from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Chicken Pesto Pasta from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Loco Moco from Palatable Pastime
Desserts
- Plum Clafouti from Art of Natural Living
- Spiced Carrot Coffee Cake from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Loco Moco
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Loco Moco
Loco Moco
Ingredients
Gravy:
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon beef base
- 1 teaspoon mushroom base or beef base
- 1 Tablespoon granulated cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Hawaiian soy sauce or sweet soy sauce
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Other Ingredients:
- 1 pound Wagyu ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 cups steamed sticky rice or short-grained sushi rice
- 4 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 cups finely shredded green papaya
- 2 Tablespoons corn starch
- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
- 2 scallions sliced
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
To make gravy:
- Stir together the water, beef and mushroom base, sugar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce until thoroughly mixed.
- In a skillet, saute the onion in the butter until softened, then stir in the flour, cooking briefly.
- Add the water mixture all at once, and continue to stir until it comes to a boil and thickens, then remove from heat.
To make Loco Moco:
- Shape Wagyu beef into four patties and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook patties in a mixture of vegetable oil and toasted sesame oil until browned and cooked to your liking.
- Steam or cook short grain sticky rice by your favorite method (I use a rice steamer).
- Thinly shred green papaya and also thinly slice until it is a vermicelli. Toss with corn starch and fry over med-low heat until crisp and barely browned. Drain.
- Fry eggs sunny side up in butter.
- To assemble, place some sticky rice in a bowl; top with gravy and beef patty, then fried egg. Sprinkle with crispy papaya shreds and scallions along with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Notes
Nutrition
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I had loco moco in Maui. It was so delicious! All the flavors and textures in this one sounds yummy.