Authentic Gyūdon Recipe
Kanto Region, Japan
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Cooking tips
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chicken
Typically, oyakodon is made with chicken thighs which contain more fat, hence, more flavor than the chicken breast, which is also commonly used. Cut the meat into bite-sized cubes or into thin slices and do not season with salt, since soy sauce will do the job. Another technique is to leave the skin on the chicken thigh and place the whole chicken thigh to a cold pan, skin down. By heating it slowly,... Read more -
eggs
Make sure not to over-whisk the eggs before adding them into the oyakodon; a dozen strokes with chopsticks will be enough. Pour the eggs over the chicken in a thin stream, distributing them evenly. If you prefer your eggs to be runny, cook them for one minute. Three minutes will be enough for medium-firm eggs. Cook the eggs without stirring. An extra egg yolk can be added at the very end to make the ... Read more -
dashi
This Japanese fish stock is a key ingredient for many Japanese specialties, such as miso soup and various noodle dishes. It is prepared by adding kombu (dried seaweed), or katsuobushi (bonito flakes, made from fermented skipjack tuna), or niboshi (dried sardines) to boiling water and simmering shortly. And although dashi is easy to prepare at home, the Japanese will often use store-bought dashi to ... Read more -
mirin and sake
Sweet Japanese rice wine mirin, and another type of rice wine, sake, are often added to the dashi to make a flavorful broth. The common seasonings include soy sauce and sugar. -
onion
There are two ways to incorporate the onion into the oyakodon. One way to go to about it is to place thin slices of onion into the mixture of dashi, mirin, soy sauce and, optionally, sake, cook it shortly, and then add the chicken. Alternatively, the onion can be added after the chicken has been cooked through, which will result in a slightly crunchier texture. -
other ingredients
The oyakodon can be enhanced by edamame (soybeans in a pod), green beans, leek, and shiitake mushrooms. Usually, these ingredients are added before the egg and should be cooked shortly, so they preserve some of their crispiness. -
rice
Although some Japanese rice dish recipes suggest using leftover rice, avoid it when making oyakodon — use freshly-cooked or steamed short-grain rice. -
garnishing
The most common garnishing for oyakodon is thinly sliced green onion. Very often, it is substituted with mitsuba — a Japanese herb similar to parsley. The oyakodon can also be garnished with nori algae cut into fine strips. -
equipment
Individual oyakodon portions can be prepared in a special pan called oyako-nabe. Oyako-nabe has a small surface similar to the surface of an individual rice bowl, so when you slide the oyakodon on the rice, it fits perfectly. Also, these pans have vertical handles which make transferring oyakodon easier.
Recipe variations
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Simple Oyakodon
Ready in 20minThe following recipe gives simple directions on how to make a classic Japanese oyakodon, plus a few extra tips. For example, choosing chicken thighs will provide more flavor to the dish, although the breast will work just fine. To upgrade the dish one can add shiitake mushrooms, green beans or edamame, or use shredded nori algae for garnishing.
-
Basic Oyakodon with Homemade Dashi
Ready in 20minHomemade dashi — fish stock used for numerous Japanese dishes — is the key ingredient for this oyakodon recipe, adapted from japanesecooking101.com. Luckily, both the dashi and the oyakodon are simple to make. The amounts in this recipe are adjusted to serve one person, but can easily be multiplied, in which case the oyakodon can be prepared in a single, large pan.
-
Classic Tendon
Ready in 30minKing prawns, aubergine, renkon lotus root, and mushrooms are the main tempura ingredients of this tendon recipe, adapted from japancentre.com, the website and online store of Japan Center, the Japanese food hall in operation since 1976, located in London. It suggests making the batter only with specialized tempura flour and ice-cold water, which makes the tempura extra light and crispy.
-
Simple Tendon
Ready in 30minThis recipe was adapted from the book Donburi: Delightful Japanese Meals in a Bowl by Aki Watanabe, a professional chef and cooking and baking instructor. King prawns, shiitake mushrooms, aromatic shiso leaves, and Japanese aubergine are deep-fried once dipped in tempura batter made with egg yolks, baking soda, and all-purpose flour, which is easier to find than the specialized tempura flour. The dish is topped with dark, flavorful sauce and will serve as a light but filling meal for two people.
-
Tendon with Shrimp, Sweet Potato, Maitake Mushrooms, Asparagus and Eggplant
Ready in 35minThis recipe was adapted from a popular Japanese YouTube channel Cooking With Dog, with over 1,6 million subscribers. The tempura includes shrimp and various vegetables deep-fried in a simple tempura batter, which are then served over a bowl of rice and drizzled with tempura sauce.
-
Unadon
Ready in 15minThe following recipe shows how to prepare unadon the traditional way. The preparation is short because pre-grilled eel fillets are used. There are several options on how to prepare the dish, based on desire and what equipment one has — in a broiler, in the oven, or in the pan on the stove. The recipe is courtesy of Namiko Hirasawa Chen from the Just One Cookbook website, a one-stop shop for every home cook who wants to create authentic and modern Japanese meals.
Classic Gyūdon
PREP 5min
COOK 20min
READY IN 25min
The following recipe shows a classic approach to gyūdon, in which the beef is simmered in soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar with some onion and ginger, a type of preparation typical for the Kantō region.
Ingredients
Classic Gyūdon
250 g beef
150 g onion
10 g ginger
1 cup water
4 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup mirin
3 tbsp sugar
cooked rice
red ginger, for garnishing
Preparation
Classic Gyūdon
Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces. Slice the onions and grate the ginger.
Mix water, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar in a saucepan. Stir in onion and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Then, add the beef.
Remove the excess liquid and continue cooking over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until the onions and the beef become tender.
Arrange gyūdon over a portion of rice. Garnish with red ginger and serve.
Other Variations
-
Simple Oyakodon
Ready in 20minThe following recipe gives simple directions on how to make a classic Japanese oyakodon, plus a few extra tips. For example, choosing chicken thighs will provide more flavor to the dish, although the breast will work just fine. To upgrade the dish one can add shiitake mushrooms, green beans or edamame, or use shredded nori algae for garnishing.
-
Basic Oyakodon with Homemade Dashi
Ready in 20minHomemade dashi — fish stock used for numerous Japanese dishes — is the key ingredient for this oyakodon recipe, adapted from japanesecooking101.com. Luckily, both the dashi and the oyakodon are simple to make. The amounts in this recipe are adjusted to serve one person, but can easily be multiplied, in which case the oyakodon can be prepared in a single, large pan.
-
Classic Tendon
Ready in 30minKing prawns, aubergine, renkon lotus root, and mushrooms are the main tempura ingredients of this tendon recipe, adapted from japancentre.com, the website and online store of Japan Center, the Japanese food hall in operation since 1976, located in London. It suggests making the batter only with specialized tempura flour and ice-cold water, which makes the tempura extra light and crispy.
-
Simple Tendon
Ready in 30minThis recipe was adapted from the book Donburi: Delightful Japanese Meals in a Bowl by Aki Watanabe, a professional chef and cooking and baking instructor. King prawns, shiitake mushrooms, aromatic shiso leaves, and Japanese aubergine are deep-fried once dipped in tempura batter made with egg yolks, baking soda, and all-purpose flour, which is easier to find than the specialized tempura flour. The dish is topped with dark, flavorful sauce and will serve as a light but filling meal for two people.
-
Tendon with Shrimp, Sweet Potato, Maitake Mushrooms, Asparagus and Eggplant
Ready in 35minThis recipe was adapted from a popular Japanese YouTube channel Cooking With Dog, with over 1,6 million subscribers. The tempura includes shrimp and various vegetables deep-fried in a simple tempura batter, which are then served over a bowl of rice and drizzled with tempura sauce.
-
Unadon
Ready in 15minThe following recipe shows how to prepare unadon the traditional way. The preparation is short because pre-grilled eel fillets are used. There are several options on how to prepare the dish, based on desire and what equipment one has — in a broiler, in the oven, or in the pan on the stove. The recipe is courtesy of Namiko Hirasawa Chen from the Just One Cookbook website, a one-stop shop for every home cook who wants to create authentic and modern Japanese meals.
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