Published May 30, 2019 Updated Aug 29, 2024
What Is Oyakodon
The word oyakodon literally means mother and child rice bowl in Japanese. This comes from the fact that the rice bowl is covered in chicken and eggs. Rice bowls are very popular in Japan and they are called donburi in Japanese. Donburi is a one-meal dish where the rice and the side dishes — consisting of either meat, fish, eggs, and/or vegetables—are served together in a big rice bowl as a complete meal. This Japanese egg rice is a homey dish that many people love.
How To Make Oyakodon
Egg is an important ingredient in donburi, as it makes the simmered egg sauce in many recipes, including oyakodon. The eggs must not be over-beaten: they should remain light and fluffy after simmering with the sauce. More importantly, the simmered chicken and eggs have to soak up the flavors of the seasonings. When serving the chicken and eggs on top of steamed rice, the sauce will give its flavor to the rice, hence making this simple and humble oyakadon the ultimate donburi dish. Traditionally, the best oyakodon recipe calls for dashi, or Japanese soup stock made of dried bonito flakes and kombu (dried kelp). I made mine with Mizkan Bonito Flavored Soup Base, which is precisely soy sauce with dashi. Since there is bonito flavoring in the Soup Base, there is no need to make dashi and hence making traditional Japanese cooking very accessible to every home cook.
What To Serve With Oyakodon
This dish is best served as the main course. For a wholesome Japanese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
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Green Tea Rice Gyudon (Japanese Beef Bowl) Teriyaki Chicken Nikujaga (Japanese Meat and Potato Stew)
