Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Bowl)
Last week, K made Oyakodon, a homey Japanese dish, consisting of chicken, egg, and onions in a soy sauce broth over rice. It was his first attempt at it, following Nami’s Just One Cookbook recipe. They explain the meaning behind the dish and provides step-by-step instructions with photos. For ease and posterity, I’ve copied the recipe here. The only deviation K made was using cilantro instead of mitsuba (wild Japanese parsley), since it’s difficult to find where we are. It’s simple comfort food in one bowl.
Oyakodon Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutesCook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 2
2 chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry
2 eggs
½ onion, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. mirin
1 Tbsp. sake
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup dashi stock
Chopped mitsuba or finely chopped green onion for garnish
1. Cut the chicken diagonally (Use Sogigiri cutting technique)
2. Crack eggs into a bowl. DO NOT BEAT.
3. Instead, hold chopsticks with the tip of chopsticks touching the bottom of the bowl, and write “Z” a couple of times.
4. Set aside.
5. In a shallow frying pan, heat mirin and sake and bring it to a boil.
6. Add soy sauce, sugar, and dashi and bring it to a boil.
7. Spread the onion into the pan and place chicken on top.
8. Cover with a lid and keep the heat on high until it boils.
9. Once it boils, skim off the scum and fat, and lower the heat to medium and cook for 12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and onion is soft.
10. You can lightly stir the chicken and onion while cooking.
11. Slowly and evenly add eggs into the pan instead of pouring at once.
12. Use chopsticks and poke around the ingredients so eggs will disperse evenly.
13. Shake the pan so the ingredients move around and bottom doesn’t stick to the pan.
14. Serve Japanese rice in a large serving bowl.
15. When the egg is cooked about 80%, add mitsuba (or green onions) and turn off the heat after 1 minute.
16. Pour the mixture on top of rice and pour extra sauce.
17. Serve immediately.