Spring Veggie Oyakodon

From the recipe author: Literally translated as “parent-and-child donburi (rice bowl)," oyakodon is typically made with chicken (the parent) and egg (the child). In this case, I’ve substituted the traditional egg and chicken combo with a spring vegetable medley of sweet onion, snap peas, pea shoots, choho (a hybrid of komatsuna and tatsoi), green onion, and shimeji mushrooms. You can absolutely choose your own adventure, using this recipe as a base for the spring veggies you have on hand.

The veggies are simmered in a blend of dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and some sugar, so they’re packed with flavor instead of oil. Delicately cooked egg swirled in at the very end binds everything together before the dish is served over hot and fluffy steamed white rice. While I recommend cooking each serving separately, as it’s neater to serve, you can cook both servings in a medium pan and divide after cooking.

Directions

1. Make the broth in a bowl or glass measuring cup with a spout by whisking together the instant dashi powder, hot water, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar until the dashi powder and sugar have dissolved.
2. Place half of the onion, snap peas, pea shoots, choho, mushrooms and a third of the green onions into a small saucepan (ideally one with shoulders and a well fitting lid) and pour half of the seasoned dashi broth over the vegetables.
3. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer uncovered. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with the lid, then let simmer for 8 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender and still hold a little crunch.
4. Once the vegetables are ready, quickly uncover the pan and pour half of the egg over the vegetable and broth mixture, then immediately place the lid back on and let simmer for a minute or two or until the egg is just set, jiggles a little, but is not raw.
5. Divide steamed white rice evenly between two serving bowls. Gently slide everything from the pan, including the broth, into one of the bowls with half of the rice. Top with a sprinkling of green onions.
6. Repeat the full process, starting at step 2, with the remaining half of the ingredients. Serve warm.