Oyakodon is a traditional consolation meals of Japanese dwelling cooking. Tender items of hen, onions, and eggs are simmered in an umami-rich sauce after which poured over a bowl of fluffy steamed rice. Easy, scrumptious, and totally comforting, that is the form of one-bowl meal you possibly can cook dinner in lower than half-hour!
In relation to mainstream quick meals, Japan gives not solely hamburgers and french fries, however the menu additionally extends to noodles and donburi (rice bowl) meals.
Throughout lunchtime, you’d see diners and noodle retailers across the workplace buildings crowded with Japanese workplace staff making their fuss-free quick meals orders. These lunch spots often serve up fast one-bowl meals, and Oyakodon (親子丼) or Oyako Donburi (親子丼ぶり) is usually one of many standard decisions.
Right this moment, let’s make this fast and simple Rooster and Egg Rice Bowl at dwelling!
What’s Oyakodon?
An epitome of Japanese soul meals, oyakodon (親子丼) actually interprets to parent-and-child (oya-ko) rice bowl (don) because the dish consists of hen and egg.
Chew-size hen, tender onion, and softly cooked egg are layered and simmered collectively in a sweet-salty sauce made with dashi, soy sauce, and mirin and served on a mattress of steamed rice. The distinction of textures and flavors makes you yearning for extra bites.
Like Gyudon and Katsudon, oyakodon will not be solely a long-time restaurant favourite but in addition a staple dish of Japanese households. Simply because the title implies, every part in regards to the rice bowl brings consolation and heat.
5 Causes Why You Ought to Attempt This Recipe
- One pan and one bowl meal. When considering of straightforward weeknight meals, a one-pan and one-bowl meal is a perfect resolution. Fewer dishes = straightforward cleanup!
- Fast and simple 30-minute cooking! This dish will be whipped up with minimal effort and time. I first discovered learn how to cook dinner oyakodon in my dwelling and economics class in center faculty. Today, it’s nonetheless one in every of my go-to consolation meals. When you’ve got youngsters at dwelling, oyakodon is a good dish they may simply grasp. It’s a survival meal that can maintain them after they go off to varsity.
- Straightforward-to-access, pantry-friendly components. Rooster, egg, and onion are normal components in most cuisines. I often have them helpful in my fridge (or freezer for hen). As for the condiments, in the event you cook dinner Japanese or Asian meals usually, you probably have dashi-making components, soy sauce, mirin, and sake.
- No oil! The onions and hen are simmered in a broth. There’s no frying with oil.
- A satisfying consolation meal at dwelling. You might have tender hen and a mushy cooked egg over a fluffy mattress of rice. The rice absorbs scrumptious dashi sauce and each mouthful is sweet-salty-savory. Right here you will have it: a belly-filling, scrumptious consolation meal in a single bowl.
The best way to Make Oyakodon
Components You’ll Want
- Rooster thighs – I like to recommend thighs over breasts as a result of fattier thighs are extra flavorful, tender, and forgiving (not like dry, overcooked breasts).
- Sake – Drizzling a tablespoon of sake over hen helps take away its gamey odor.
- Onion
- Eggs
- Mitsuba – This Japanese wild parsley has a celery-like taste with a barely bitter style. Due to its refreshing and distinctive taste, the herb is utilized in many donburi dishes as a garnish. You possibly can substitute it with diagonally thinly sliced inexperienced onions.
- Seasonings: Dashi (Japanese soup inventory), soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.
- Steamed Rice
- Shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) [optional for spicy kick]
- Sansho pepper powder [optional for fragrance] – It’s finely grind peppercorns of the prickly ash tree and has a vibrant peppery-lemon taste with an extended residual warmth.
Overview: Cooking Steps
- Put together the components: Reduce the onion, mitsuba/inexperienced onions, and hen and crack the eggs.
- Prepare dinner the onion within the seasoning combination.
- Add the hen and cook dinner till now not pink.
- Drizzle egg combination at two separate occasions. Garnish mitsuba/inexperienced onions.
- Spoon the completed dish over the mattress of steamed rice in a donburi bowl.
Oyakodon Cooking Ideas
Tip 1: Use Good Japanese Soup Inventory (Dashi)
What makes this hen and egg rice bowl authentically Japanese? It’s the flavour of dashi—Japanese soup inventory. If you happen to’re not accustomed to dashi, consider this ingredient as probably the most important taste of Japanese delicacies. The excellent news is:
I extremely suggest studying my Final Dashi Information as dashi seems within the majority of Japanese recipes and you’ll’t keep away from it.
For 2 servings, I like to recommend making a pot of dashi (about 4 cups) after which utilizing ½ cup for Oyakodon and the leftover (3½ cups) for Do-it-yourself Miso Soup to function a meal set. Now you will have a filling rice bowl and a soothing miso soup.
Tip 2: Use the Japanese Slicing Method “Sogigiri”
This “sogigiri” chopping approach provides each bit of the ingredient equal thickness and creates extra floor space for sooner cooking and higher absorption of the flavors.
Additionally, after making an attempt out totally different sizes of hen items, I spotted that chopping the hen into 2-cm (3/4 inch) items labored the most effective. Massive items of hen are inclined to separate from the remainder of the components whereas smaller items are higher at incorporating with the onions and soft-cooked eggs.
Tip 3: “Reduce” the Egg Whites
For the best-looking oyakodon, purpose for top colour distinction between the white and yellow elements of the eggs. That’s why it’s essential to not beat the eggs. If you happen to use a crushed egg combination, you’ll get one uniform yellow colour in your oyakodon.
As a substitute, “lower” the egg whites 5-6 occasions with a pair of chopsticks, lifting the whites to interrupt them up into a couple of smaller clumps. It will forestall the egg whites from falling into the frying pan unexpectedly.
How in regards to the egg yolks? Whereas chopping the egg whites, you’ll have by chance damaged a few of the egg yolks. That’s excellent!
You don’t wish to mix the yolks and whites collectively. If the yolks haven’t damaged but, you possibly can gently break them a little bit bit. The egg whites and yolks are damaged, however nonetheless distinct, and they need to appear like a marble sample.
Tip 4: Prepare dinner a Most of Two Servings in One Medium Frying Pan
Let’s say you wish to multiply the recipe for your loved ones of 4 or six. The components and seasonings will enhance considerably in comparison with two servings, however the medium frying pan (about 10 inches/25 cm) gained’t double or triple in dimension.
If you happen to attempt to cook dinner 4 or six servings in a medium or giant frying pan, you’ll overcrowd the pan and the components will take a very long time to cook dinner. Additionally, the seasonings is not going to evaporate as effectively as with two servings. Consequently, your oyakodon could have an excessive amount of sauce, nearly like a soup.
Due to this fact, make two servings per medium frying pan for this recipe. You will have two medium frying pans for 4 servings.
Tip 5: Add the Eggs at Two Separate Occasions
To attain a perfect egg texture for scrumptious oyakodon, purpose for egg whites which might be considerably agency however nonetheless wobbly and egg yolks that stay mushy and runny. Since uncooked eggs are secure to eat in Japan, oyakodon can look a bit totally different when it’s served in Japan. Don’t be shocked if the eggs are much more on the runny and uncooked aspect there.
If you happen to dwell exterior of Japan, it’s finest to cook dinner the eggs barely longer than the way it’s cooked in Japan. It could not look as fairly, but it surely’s for meals security causes.
To attain the fluffy soft-cooked egg for oyakodon, we add the eggs to the simmering hen and egg combination at two separate occasions:
- Add two-thirds of the eggs (ideally extra egg whites as a result of they take longer time to cook dinner than egg yolks) to the heart of the pan, avoiding the perimeters the place eggs get overcooked.
- Add the remaining one-third of the eggs (ideally extra egg yolks) to all the floor of the pan.
One final tip! It’s sooner to cook dinner egg whites when the eggs are already at room temperature.
FAQs
What’s an oyakodon pan?
In Japan, oyakodon is often made on this single-serving oyakodon pan.
It helps to slip the well-layered dish, together with the sauce and soft-cooked egg, into the rice bowl.
You need to use a small shallow frying pan that’s slope-sided, so you possibly can simply switch the hen and egg combination to the mattress of rice in a donburi bowl. Ideally, the diameter of the pan ought to be the identical or smaller dimension as your bowl.
The place can I purchase an oyakodon pan?
You’ll find one within the following on-line shops:
Why do we have to cook dinner oyakodon one serving at a time?
I believe it’s finest to elucidate by evaluating the 2 footage under.
As I defined earlier, if you use an oyakodon pan or a small frying pan, you possibly can slide all the dish—onion-chicken-egg layer—onto the mattress of steamed rice.
Whenever you cook dinner oyakodon in a medium frying pan, it’s a must to scoop out the dish, breaking the layers regardless of your finest try. When you’ve got a extremely broad flat spoon, you could possibly switch an enormous portion onto the rice bowl, however it’s going to nonetheless not be sufficiently big to cowl the rice and the dish will look a little bit damaged up.
Eating places and a few dwelling cooks use the single-serving oyakodon pan simply to attain the correct look of the dish.
Can we use fewer eggs?
The usual variety of eggs for oyakodon is 2 eggs per serving. The eggs bind all the opposite components within the simmering sauce collectively in order that the completed oyakodon can slide onto the mattress of steamed rice easily.
If you happen to’re cooking for 2 servings in a medium frying pan, you should use 3 eggs, 1½ eggs per serving. Nonetheless, I don’t suggest utilizing fewer eggs than that as they gained’t have the ability to bind all of the components collectively.
Can we cowl the frying pan with a lid?
I’ve made oyakodon each with and with out a lid, testing out the cooking time, taste, and texture and adjusting the seasoning combination to attain the most effective end result.
With a lid on, the hen will cook dinner barely sooner, however the inside the pan will get fairly scorching and the hen can get overcooked when you wish to simmer a bit longer for the hen to soak up extra flavors.
After a number of exams, my last verdict is to cook dinner uncovered. Whenever you cook dinner uncovered, the surplus moisture from the onion and hen will evaporate and the sauce might be extra flavorful and intense.
One exception is for cooking the eggs. If you happen to desire to totally cook dinner the eggs, you might wish to use a lid.
Extra Straightforward Rice Bowl Recipes
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Oyakodon (Rooster and Egg Rice Bowl)
Oyakodon is a traditional consolation meals of Japanese dwelling cooking. Tender items of hen, onion, and eggs are simmered in an umami-rich, dashi-based sauce after which poured over a bowl of fluffy steamed rice. Easy, scrumptious, and totally comforting, that is the form of one-bowl meal you possibly can cook dinner in lower than half-hour!
Components
Directions
Earlier than You Begin
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This recipe consists of each cooking strategies—utilizing a medium frying pan (about 10 inches/25 cm) and an oyakodon pan or small frying pan (8 inches/20 cm). Sometimes, oyakodon is made individually for every serving utilizing an oyakodon pan, which helps you to slide the cooked components onto the rice bowl simply. See the separate cooking directions under.
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Collect all of the components. Don’t make greater than two servings in a medium frying pan. I defined a bit extra within the weblog submit (below Oyakodon Cooking Ideas). If you’re making 4 servings, use two medium frying pans.
To Put together the Seasonings
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Mix the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a bowl or a liquid measuring cup and blend all collectively till the sugar is dissolved.
To Put together the Components
To Prepare dinner the Oyakodon in a Medium Frying Pan
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With the range off, add the sliced onions to a medium frying pan (I exploit a well-seasoned 11” carbon metal pan) in a single layer. Then, add the seasonings combination. It ought to simply cowl the onions. If not, your frying pan is just too huge and you’ll want to both enhance the seasoning or use a smaller pan.
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Activate the warmth to medium and convey it to a simmer. As soon as simmering, add the hen on prime of the onions.
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Ensure the onions and hen are evenly distributed. As soon as simmering once more, decrease the warmth to medium low. Prepare dinner, uncovered, for 5 minutes or till the hen is now not pink and the onions are tender. Midway via, flip the hen. Tip: Evaporation reduces the sauce and intensifies the flavour.
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We are going to add the eggs in two phases: Two-thirds of the eggs first, then the remaining one-third later. Now, enhance the warmth to medium. With the cooking liquid simmering (small bubbles across the edges), drizzle two-thirds of the eggs in a round sample over the hen and onions, avoiding the perimeters of the pan the place the eggs can simply overcook. Tip: Solely drizzle the eggs if the cooking liquid is simmering, as with Egg Drop Soup. Additionally, attempt to add extra egg whites at this stage, because the whites take longer to cook dinner than the yolks. Ideally, we wish to hold the yolks mushy and runny for the ultimate presentation.
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If the warmth is just too sturdy, decrease the warmth. If the egg is shifting towards the perimeters of the pan, gently collect it towards the middle the place the warmth will not be as sturdy. Optionally, you possibly can cowl the pan if the egg whites are taking a very long time to set.
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When the eggs are nonetheless runny however simply set, add the remainder of the eggs to the middle and across the edges of the pan. Add the mitsuba (or inexperienced onion) on prime and cook dinner on medium low till the egg is finished to your liking. Normally, oyakodon in Japan is served whereas the egg is sort of set however nonetheless runny (uncooked eggs are secure to eat in Japan). Tip: For the remaining one-third of the egg, attempt to distribute extra egg yolks so the oyakodon could have a shiny yellow colour on prime. For a very good presentation, you possibly can add a crushed further yolk on the finish.
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Serve steamed rice in particular person serving bowls. Spoon the cooked hen and egg combination onto the steamed rice and drizzle the specified quantity of pan sauce on prime.
To Prepare dinner the Oyakodon in an Oyakodon Pan or a Small Frying Pan
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Prepare dinner the hen and egg in two batches, one serving at a time. Ensure to divide the components in half. With the range off, add half of the sliced onions to the pan in a single layer. Add half of the seasonings combination (it ought to simply cowl the onions).
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Activate the warmth to medium and convey it to a simmer. As soon as simmering, add half of the hen on prime of the onions.
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Ensure the onions and hen are evenly distributed. As soon as simmering, decrease the warmth to medium low. Prepare dinner, uncovered, for 4 minutes or till the hen is now not pink and the onions are tender. Midway via, flip the hen. Tip: Evaporation helps to cut back the sauce and intensify the flavour.
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We are going to add the eggs in two phases: Two-thirds of the eggs first, then the remaining one-third later. Now, enhance the warmth to medium. With the cooking liquid simmering (small bubbles across the edges), drizzle two-thirds of the eggs in a round sample over the hen and onions, avoiding the perimeters of the pan the place the eggs can simply overcook. Tip: Solely add the eggs if the cooking liquid is simmering, as with Egg Drop Soup. Additionally, attempt to add extra egg whites at this stage, because the whites take longer to cook dinner than the yolks. Ideally, we wish to hold the yolks mushy and runny for the ultimate presentation.
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When the eggs are nonetheless runny however simply set, add the remainder of the eggs to the middle and across the edges of the pan. Add the mitsuba (or inexperienced onion) on prime and cook dinner on medium low till the egg is finished to your liking. Normally, oyakodon in Japan is served whereas the egg is sort of set however nonetheless runny (uncooked eggs are secure to eat in Japan). Tip: For the remaining one-third of the egg, attempt to distribute the egg yolk so the oyakodon could have a shiny yellow colour on prime. For a very good presentation, you possibly can add a crushed further yolk on the finish.
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Serve steamed rice in a person serving bowl. Slide the cooked hen and egg combination onto the steamed rice and drizzle the specified quantity of pan sauce on prime. Repeat Steps 1 to six with the remaining components.
Vitamin
Energy: 389 kcal · Carbohydrates: 36 g · Protein: 32 g · Fats: 10 g · Saturated Fats: 3 g · Polyunsaturated Fats: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fats: 4 g · Trans Fats: 1 g · Ldl cholesterol: 293 mg · Sodium: 679 mg · Potassium: 448 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 6 g · Vitamin A: 299 IU · Vitamin C: 3 mg · Calcium: 50 mg · Iron: 3 mg
Editor’s Notice: The submit was initially revealed on February 4, 2011. It has been republished with new pictures, up to date content material, and a revised recipe on October 30, 2022.
