In Japan, we have a rice gratin dish called Doria (ドリア). What’s Doria? Surely it doesn’t sound like a Japanese word but it is a popular Japanese rice casserole. Doria was invented in the 1930s by the Swiss chef, Saly Weil, who was the first master chef at Hotel New Grand in Yokohama, Japan. The first Doria was Seafood Doria, which was improvised by Weil for a guest who was sick. Since then, all variations of Doria have become popular Yoshoku (Japanese western food) dishes in Japan (source).
Doria Sauce
Doria has three components: steamed rice, the savory sauce, and the melted cheese on top. The savory sauce was originally Bechamel sauce (white sauce), but these days there are many sauce variations and this is where you can be creative. I’ve shared the Doria recipe with the tomato-base sauce (Meat Doria recipe) before, so I’ve made today’s recipe with curry powder. However, it’s not spicy so children can also enjoy this dish. When you make the sauce, make sure to season the sauce well, by making it a teeny bit on the salty side. The steamed rice dilutes the flavors of the sauce, so don’t worry about making it salty.
Interchangeable Dish with Pasta
By the way, if you prefer pasta instead of rice, you can use elbow (macaroni) or Fusilli pasta. Fusilli is a short spiral pasta with twisted surfaces that grabs hold of the sauce for more taste. Growing up in Japan, Doria has always been one of my favorite comfort food. As a mom, I love a simple dish like this where you have grains, vegetables, proteins, and dairy in one dish. Plus, how could you resist the melted cheese on top? I especially love the crusty crispy cheese on the baking dish. Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
