TEAM Eats: Recipe for Oyakodon

In Japanese, oyakodon literally translates to “parent and child on rice.” It is a popular dish in many restaurants here in Japan, and I first had it when I came as a short-term missionary to Japan in 2006. It was also the very first Japanese meal I learned how to make. (My daughter now asks for it all the time.) However, I like to add a unique twist by adding shiitake mushrooms because I think it adds a lot of flavor.

Traditionally, this dish is made in a special oyako-nabe pan designed for donburi (“on rice”) dishes, making only one serving at a time. But since we make it for a family of four, I use a nonstick deep frying pan and make it all at once.

Here’s my take on oyakodon!

See full ingredient list below.

1. In a bowl, combine dashi (stock), mirin, cooking sake, soy sauce and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved, and set aside.

2. Thinly slice onion into strips, and chop mushrooms and parsley. Note: Set the parsley aside to be a garnish later.

3. Remove skin and fat from the chicken and cut into bite-size pieces.

4. Crack eggs into a bowl and gently whisk. Set aside.

5. In a frying pan, add a little oil and sauté the onion on medium heat until tender. Then add mushrooms and cook for a couple minutes more.

6. Add chicken to the onions and mushrooms. Then add your sauce mixture. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

7. Once cooked, add the egg, cover and cook for 1 minute while gently shaking the pan. If you like firmer eggs simmer for longer.

8. Once done, dish out rice into big bowls and serve the oyakodon on top of rice. Top with parsley and shichimi seasoning if desired.

And there you have it. One of our family’s favorite meals. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 onion

12 shiitake mushrooms

Parsley (or mitsuba for a more authentic taste), optional

2–3 chicken breasts

8 medium-sized eggs

Shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice seasoning), optional

3–4 cups of cooked white rice

Sauce

1 cup of dashi (stock). To make the dashi for this dish, use about 1/2 tablespoon of hondashi granules and one cup of water. If you are unable to find hondashi or dashi broth, you can substitute chicken broth.

2 tablespoons of mirin (can be substituted with cooking sake and sugar. 1 tablespoon of mirin = 1 tablespoon of sake + 1 teaspoon of sugar)

2 tablespoons of cooking sake (can be substituted with white cooking wine)

3 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

Recipe shared by Beth Ann Trim, missionary to Japan.