Description
Loco Moco is a classic Hawaiian comfort dish featuring juicy hamburger patties topped with savory mushroom gravy and fried eggs, served over fluffy basmati rice. This recipe balances rich flavors and textures, making it a satisfying meal perfect for any time of day.
Ingredients
Mushroom Gravy
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
- 1 2/3 cups chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Hamburger Patties
- 8 ounces lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (divided)
Fried Eggs and Assembly
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups cooked basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon furikake seasoning
- 1 tablespoon sliced chives
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (remaining from total 4 tablespoons)
Instructions
- Prepare Mushroom Gravy: Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sliced shiitake mushrooms and sauté for about 3 minutes until mushrooms are lightly caramelized. Season with salt and pepper.
- Thicken Gravy: Melt the remaining butter into the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and whisk thoroughly. Reduce heat to medium and gradually stir in chicken stock, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Continue stirring until the gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and set aside.
- Prepare Hamburger Patties: In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef with salt, garlic powder, and ground white pepper (if using). Mix gently until just combined. Form the mixture into 2 equal 4-ounce patties.
- Cook Patties: Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the patties and sear for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until browned. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until the patties reach medium doneness.
- Fry Eggs: In a separate skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add eggs and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until the whites are set and edges are crisp. Remove from heat carefully, keeping yolks runny.
- Assemble the Loco Moco: Divide the cooked basmati rice between two plates. Top each portion with a hamburger patty, then ladle mushroom gravy over the patties. Place a fried egg on top of each, and spoon additional gravy over the eggs. Finish by sprinkling furikake seasoning and sliced chives on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute beef with plant-based patties and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- Adjust seasoning of gravy to taste before covering it.
- Make sure skillet is hot when frying eggs to get crispy edges.
- Do not overmix the ground beef to keep patties tender.
- Furikake seasoning adds an authentic Japanese flavor and can be omitted or replaced with sesame seeds if unavailable.
