Oyakodon

Ingredients

• 240 g Japanese short-grain rice (or sushi rice)
• 290 ml water, for cooking the rice
• 300 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2 cm pieces
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 250 ml water, for the dashi
• 1 tsp dashi granules
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• shichimi togarashi or chilli flakes, to serve (optional)

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice in a bowl, swirling and changing the water until it runs almost clear. Drain well in a sieve for 5 minutes.
2. Put the rice and 290 ml water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover, turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 12 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and leave the pan covered for 10 minutes, without lifting the lid. The rice should be tender, sticky and fluffy.
4. While the rice cooks, slice the onion and chicken. Beat the eggs with a fork just until the yolks break; a few streaks of white are fine and give the topping a better texture.
5. Stir the 250 ml water, dashi granules, soy sauce and sugar in the frying pan until dissolved. Add the onion, bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes until the onion softens.
6. Add the chicken in a single layer. Simmer gently, turning once, for 6–7 minutes until the pieces are white throughout, the juices run clear and the thickest piece reaches 74°C.
7. Pour about two-thirds of the egg over the chicken in a slow circle. Cover and cook on medium-low for 1 minute, then pour in the remaining egg.
8. Cover again and switch off the heat. Leave for 1 minute, until the egg is mostly set but still soft and glossy on top. Cook a little longer if you prefer it firmer.
9. Divide the rice between two deep bowls. Slide half the chicken and egg over each, spooning the sauce from the pan around the rice. Top with spring onions and shichimi if using.

Tips

• Use chicken thighs rather than breast. They stay juicy in the simmering sauce and are hard to overcook.
• Keep the egg slightly underdone when you switch off the heat. It keeps setting from the residual heat while you plate.
• A wide, shallow pan lets the sauce reduce evenly and the egg spread in a thin layer.
• Taste the sauce before adding the chicken. If your soy sauce is very salty, add a splash more water.