Japanese Rice Bowl

Inspired by Ivan Orkin - New York, NY

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One pot meals are the epitome of comfort. Every culture has them. Every culture loves them. This is extremely easy to throw together. Make it in a pinch. Or just make it because you love it.

Parts of this recipe were adapted by Ivan Orkin’s recipe for “Chicken and Vegetable Rice (Tori no Takikomi Gohan)” in his cookbook, “The Gaijin Cookbook”. Ivan also own a ramen shop in New York City called Ivan Ramen. In my opinion, it’s the best ramen in the city.

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN BOWL (Comfortably serves 4):

  • 12 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs

  • 1 ½ cups sushi rice

  • 2 TBS soy sauce

  • 2 TBS mirin

  • 2 TBS sake

  • 2 tsp salt (more to taste)

  • 3 oz shiitake mushrooms

  • ¼ cup of finely chopped bonito flakes (optional)

  • Half a parsnip

  • 1 small carrot

GO FOR IT

RICE:

  1. Wash rice in a mesh strainer until the water runs clear

  2. In a small dutch oven or pot, add rice, soy sauce, mirin, sake, salt, and 1 ¼ cup of water

  3. Throw bonito flakes on top and let mixture soak for 20-60 minutes

VEGETABLES:

  1. Cut parsnip in thin matchsticks about 2 inches long

  2. Cut carrot into very thin slices

  3. Roughly chop mushrooms

CHICKEN BOWL:

  1. Cut chicken into 1 inch (or bite sized) cubes

  2. Add chicken to pot once the rice has soaked 20-60 minutes

  3. Add vegetables to pot with rice mix and chicken

  4. Bring pot to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes

  5. After 15 minutes, stir up rice and ingredients, and recover for a final 5 minutes

  6. Serve hot and ENJOY

NOTES:

This is a dish where you may find yourself needing a few substitutes. If you do not have sake, you can use more mirin in its place but you cannot substitute mirin or it just won’t taste as it should.

Not everyone is going to love the taste of bonito flakes so no judgement if you leave them out. But you will be sacrificing some authenticity.

Additionally, Ivan Orkin uses burdock root in this dish in place of parsnip. I would have done the same had the store had any. Turnips can be used as well. Ivan also uses beech mushrooms in place of shiitake. Again, I would have done the same had I been able to find any.