Toruko Rice (Nagasaki Western-style Combination Plate)
Toruko Rice (Nagasaki Western-style Combination Plate)
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Toruko rice is a yoshoku (Japanese-style Western) dish loved mainly in Nagasaki City. Its basic form is a single plate with three items: pilaf, spaghetti Napolitan and tonkatsu (pork cutlet). The tonkatsu is topped with demi-glace sauce or curry sauce. However, there is no fixed definition, and it is said that any combination of a rice dish, pasta and a Western-style main dish can pass as Toruko rice. Combinations vary from restaurant to restaurant, such as replacing the pilaf with dry curry or fried rice, or topping the plate with a hamburg steak instead of a cutlet. Although the name includes 'Toruko' (Turkey), its relationship to Turkish cuisine is unclear. There are several theories about the origin of the name, none of them confirmed. It can be enjoyed at coffee shops dating back to the Taisho period and at Western-style restaurants in the downtown area.
Origin
Toruko rice is said to have been born in Nagasaki around the 1950s. However, the restaurant that first served it and the origin of its name are not clear. According to one theory, a fried rice made with cold rice in Kobe was called 'Turkish-style rice,' and it found its way onto the menu of a Nagasaki restaurant through a cook who knew of it. Another theory holds that a one-plate dish from a restaurant called 'Restaurant Toruko' in Nagasaki spread from there.
History
As it was served at Western-style restaurants and coffee shops in Nagasaki, Toruko rice became a local staple. In 2013, it was reported that when a Nagasaki chef visited Turkey and introduced the dish, it met with a reluctant response, partly because many people there do not eat pork. The report also stated that Nagasaki City's official website says it is unknown whether the dish has any connection with Turkey.
Features
The basic combination is pilaf, Napolitan and tonkatsu, but there are no clear rules. It is also said that dry curry was originally the mainstream in place of pilaf. Even today, some restaurants use dry curry or fried rice, and some pour curry sauce over the cutlet. A salad is sometimes served on the same plate. Its appeal lies in enjoying several kinds of yoshoku on one plate, and comparing the differences between restaurants is part of the fun. Some coffee shops offer around 10 varieties of Toruko rice alone.
Main Ingredients
Famous Shops
ツル茶ん
長崎県長崎市油屋町2-47
Founded in 1925 (Taisho 14), it is said to be the oldest coffee shop in Kyushu. Its most popular dish is the 'Mukashi Natsukashi Toruko Rice' (nostalgic Toruko rice) of pilaf, Napolitan and a pork cutlet topped with curry sauce, which travel guides list at 1,780 yen. The Nagasaki-style milkshake, eaten frozen, is another specialty. Prices are subject to change.
View details →ビストロ ボルドー
長崎県長崎市浜町8-28 インポートビル2・3階
A Western-style restaurant in the Hamanomachi shopping arcade, introduced as one of the restaurants where Toruko rice originated. Its signature dish is 'Toruko-fu Rice' (Turkish-style rice), combining pilaf, tonkatsu and pasta in tomato sauce, topped with demi-glace sauce. Travel guides list it at 1,672 yen. Prices are subject to change.
View details →レストランメイジヤ
長崎県長崎市浜町3-18 メイジヤビル2階
A Western-style restaurant on the Hamanomachi arcade shopping street. Travel guides introduce it as one of the places to enjoy delicious Toruko rice, listing its 'Yokubari Toruko Rice' (all-in Toruko rice) at 1,200 yen. It is conveniently located for a stop between shopping. Prices are subject to change.
View details →FAQ
Q. Where does the name 'Toruko rice' come from?
A. Its exact origin is unknown. One theory holds that it is a corruption of 'tricolore,' meaning three colors; another says that pilaf represents Asia and spaghetti the West, so the dish was named after Turkey, which lies between them. There is also a theory that it comes from pilav (pilaf) in Turkish cuisine, but none of these has been confirmed.
Q. Is there Toruko rice outside Nagasaki?
A. Dishes called 'Toruko rice' are said to exist in places such as Osaka and Yokohama as well. However, their contents differ, such as ketchup rice topped with a cutlet and sauce, making them different dishes in each region. The combination of pilaf, Napolitan and tonkatsu is the Nagasaki style.