Tenshin-han (天津飯)
Tenshin-han is a Chinese-style dish originating in Japan.
It is also called 'Tenshin-donburi' or 'Kanitama-donburi.'
Origin of the name
Originally, during the Showa period when Japan faced supply shortages, the name came from 'Tianjin Fu Rong Xie (fried crab with egg white)' with rice, which meant a dish served using a donburi (china bowl) that contained steamed rice from 'Xiaozhanmi,' which is a high-quality rice produced in Tianjin City in the People's Republic of China, topped with fried egg with crab meat.
However, the part 'Tianjin Fu Rong Xie (fried crab with egg white),' which was difficult to pronounce was somehow omitted and the name was changed to 'Tenshin-han.'
As Xiaozhanmi is grown in Xiaozhan, Jinnan District, Tianjin, it is also called 'Xiaozhan daomi' in China. The rice was of a Japonica type, brought from Japan for cultivation, and has small grains that did not have a dry taste.
In China, although there is 'Fu Rong Xie (rou) (fried crab meat with egg white)' as an egg dish in Cantonese food, it is usually not put on the top of steamed rice and there is not any dish named 'Tenshin-han.'
Cooking method
Beaten eggs mixed with chopped leeks, shiitake mushroom, crab meat, and salt are stir-fried and put on steamed rice that is placed in a deep dish. In order to serve gelee over the dish, the gelee made of starch powder is poured on the top.
It is said that there are regional differences between recipes, especially with regards to the seasoning of the gelee, but there are few detailed research on the matter. Starting with the Kansai region and in areas to the west of the Lake Hamana along the Tokaido highway, soy sauce is used for seasoning so that the color of finished gelee is light brown. On the other hand, starting with the Kanto region and in the areas to the east of the Lake Hamana, in addition to vinegar, ketchup is often used so that the color of the gelee is red. In the case of an seasoned with soy sauce, a small amount of shiitake mushroom, bamboo shoot, etc. is often added while green peas are added for garnish. For steamed rice, polished short grain rice are usually used.
If chahan (fried rice) is wrapped in an omelet, it is a Chinese-tasting western dish called omuraisu. Since omuchahan is a western dish, usually, crab meat is omitted or the sauce is not served over it. In some restaurants, sauces can be chosen that include a sweet vinegar gelee similar to that for Tenshin-han.
Also, certain Chinese restaurants serve "Tenshin chahan" that is prepared by pouring the gelee for Tenshin-han on the top of omuchahan.
Crab meat is indispensable in the case of 'Fu Rong Xie (rou)' (fried crab meat with egg white), because the name of the dish includes the character for 'crab.'
As Tenshin-han does not include the character for 'crab,' prawn, imitation crab meat, boiled fish paste or minced meat are sometimes used instead of crab meat.