Katsudon

• servings: 2 servings
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup water (for the dashi packet)

1 dashi packet (use standard Awase Dashi, dashi packet or powder, or Vegan Dashi)

2 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp mirin

2 Tbsp soy sauce

½ onion (4 oz, 113 g) 4 113

1 green onion/scallion (for garnish)

3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)

2 tonkatsu (breaded and fried pork cutlet; make the regular deep-fried version or my baked version)

2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (typically 1⅔ cups (250 g) per donburi serving)

Directions

Before You Start: Gather all the ingredients. For the steamed rice, please note that 1½ cups (300 g, 2 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked rice, enough for 2 donburi servings (3⅓ cups, 500 g). See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.

To Make the Dashi

In a small pot, add 1 cup water and 1 dashi packet. Start cooking over medium heat. Tip: While I used a dashi packet here, you can substitute it with standard Awase Dashi, dashi powder, or Vegan Dashi. If you‘re new to dashi, learn more about it by reading my ultimate dashi guide.

After it starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Shake the bag a few times to get more flavors out. Discard the packet and dashi is ready to use.

To Prepare the Ingredients

Thinly slice ½ onion and 1 green onion/scallion. I highly recommend cutting the onion thinly to reduce the cooking time.

Crack 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) into a medium bowl. Using a pair of chopsticks, lift the egg whites to “cut“ them 5–6 times into a few smaller clumps so the yolks and whites are marbled. This will prevent the egg whites from falling into the frying pan all at once. Do not whisk or beat the eggs together. Tip: Aim for high color contrast between the white and yellow parts of the eggs in your finished dish.

Cut 2 tonkatsu into pieces 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.

To Cook the Katsudon

In a large frying pan that can fit 2 tonkatsu pieces, place the onion slices in a single layer. Then, add the dashi to the pan.

Cover the frying pan with a tight-fitting lid (so the broth does not evaporate too quickly). Then, turn on the heat to medium and start cooking until the onion is tender and almost translucent.

Then, add 2 tsp sugar and 2 Tbsp mirin.

Add 2 Tbsp soy sauce and mix together.

Place the tonkatsu over the onion and cover with the lid to reheat the tonkatsu, about 2 minutes. The bottom of the tonkatsu will absorb the broth.

Once the tonkatsu is reheated and the broth is simmering, evenly distribute the egg over the tonkatsu and onion in a circular pattern, avoiding the edges of the pan where the egg can easily overcook. (If you prefer to cook your green onion slices, add them over the egg mixture now.) Cover with the lid for 1 minute, or until the egg is just set.

To Serve

Divide 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice into large donburi bowls. Place the tonkatsu, onion, and egg mixture on top. Drizzle with extra broth, if you‘d like. Garnish with sliced green onion and serve immediately.

To Store

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

Nutrition

• Calories: 855 kcal
• Total Fat: 45 g
• Saturated Fat: 30 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 455 mg
• Sodium: 1307 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 55 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 11 g
• Protein: 48 g