This chicken and egg rice bowl was a staple growing up in my house, and is still a dish I do regularly at home when I want something warm, comforting and quick. For convenience I make the dashi stock from bonito dashi powder, which you can find in most Asian grocers.
Serves 2
white onion ½, sliced
dashi stock 120ml
soy sauce 30ml
mirin 30ml
caster sugar 10g
chicken breast or thigh 300g, cut into bite-sized pieces
eggs 3
cooked rice to serve
spring onion 1, finely sliced
shichimi togarashi (Japanese 7 spice blend) to serve (optional)
Put the onion, stock, soy, mirin and sugar in a wide saucepan and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until the onion is cooked and softened (5-6 minutes).
Once the onion is soft, add the chicken, bring back to a simmer and cook for a further 5-6 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Lightly beat your eggs (they shouldn’t be fully mixed or aerated, you want some definition between the yolk and white).
Pour the eggs over the chicken and onion and cover. Cook over a low heat until the egg is set but still very soft (1-2 minutes).
Serve immediately over cooked rice, top with the spring onion and shichimi, if you like.
Aika Levins is head chef of The Barbary and The Barbary Next Door, London WC2
