Photo by avlxyz
Oyakodon is a great dish that is very easy to put together when you are craving some authentic Japanese food. Oyako means “mother and child” or in this case, the chicken and egg.
This dish was always made in a large volume for a group of people, but you can prepare this dish in single servings. It turns out much better as you have much more control over the timing of the eggs. Let’s get started.
For the base, you will need:
- 300 ml dashi
- 100 ml soy sauce
With this base, you can adjust sweetness with a little sugar. If you have leftover, you can store in the fridge for a couple days.
You will also need:
- 2 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 medium onion, sliced
- 1 large egg, beaten
Start with a small skillet (about 10 inches) and heat on med high. Add the chicken and onion, then ladle some of the base into the mixture. When it starts to boil, turn the heat down to med and cover. What you want to do is poach the meat, which won’t take long since its cut so small. After a couple minutes, take the cover off and pour half the egg over the chicken. Put the cover back on and cook for another minute.
Now get yourself a bowl of steamed rice ready. After the minute is up, take off the lid and pour the remaining egg on the chicken. Remove from the heat and place on the bowl of rice finishing with some finely chopped green onion.
Traditionally oyakodon is served in a lidded lacquered bowl. Once you serve, the lid is put immediately on the bowl and brought to the diner. The remaining egg cooks in the bowl through the residual heat. What you get is a fluffy and custard-like finish with the poached chicken which is just awesome. Enjoy this recipe and have fun in the kitchen!