OYAKODON - JAPANESE COMFORT FOOD

Prep Time – 10 min

Cook Time – 30 min

ORIGIN | TOKYO, JAPAN

COURSE | MAIN

SERVINGS | 2

If you are Japanese, you must have a family Oyakodon recipe, one of the most famous comfort dish. Let’s start first with its name and meaning of the dish. Oyako (親子) means parent and child. Don (丼）means bowl. This dish is cooked using one pan, made of chicken (the parent) and eggs (the child), placed on top of steamed rice in a bowl.The origin of the dish is said to have started at a historic restaurant in Tokyo, Tamahide founded in 1760. In 1887, a customer decided to add an egg to top off his leftover chicken with its sauce and ate it with rice. Later, the restaurant got an idea to officially offer it on the menu as a rice bowl. At the time it was created, the restaurant owners thought food over rice was too casual and simple so it was made available for delivery only and not for eat-in. However, the dish quickly gained its popularity and spread all over Japan. Now, various versions of this dish are a family staple recipe and one of the most well-known comfort food. Its history is even listed in the official Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website as a dish that must be preserved and handed down to the many generations to come!

DIRECTIONS

Mix Together

  • In a large pan or skillet until boiling.

    • Mix together sake, mirin, soy sauce, sugar and dashi and have it ready to use.

Prep Chicken

  • Add onion and chicken to pan until cooked thoroughly in medium heat.

  • Add half of egg mixture to pan until cooked, add the remaining half cover with lid and turn off heat.

  • When the eggs are done at your desired doneness, you can serve over the rice, add garnish.

    • TIP: Before you add the egg, you can taste the broth to make sure it is to your liking, It should be a little sweet and savory.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 piece or about 150 g (0.33 pounds) of boneless chicken thighs

  • 1/2 medium size or 1 small, thinly sliced onion

  • 2 Eggs (mixed in a bowl)

  • 1 tablespoon Japanese sake – any cooking sake is OK

  • 2 tablespoons mirin – sweet rice wine sold at most grocery stores

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1/2 cup dashi – Japanese stock base available in powder or liquid form

  • Green onion

  • Steamed rice

PREP NOTES

  • Cut chicken to bite size pieces

  • Green onion chopped up for garnish to dish, add pop of color