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Japanese

Napa cabbage & shiitake egg bowl

Built exactly like oyakodon, with the chicken swapped for napa cabbage and the soaked shiitake left over from making shiitake–kombu dashi, simmered in that same dashi. The cabbage stems go in first; the leaves only need a minute.

1 bowl~15 min (+ rice)
Napa cabbage & shiitake egg bowl

Mise en place — set out in the order it goes in

  1. Sauce
    Sauce
    • dashi
    • soy
    • mirin
    • sake
    • sugar
    Step 4
  2. Stems + shiitake
    Stems + shiitakeStep 4
  3. Napa leaves
    Napa leaveschoppedStep 5
  4. Eggs
    Eggsloosely beatenSteps 6–7
  5. Rice + garnish
    Rice + garnishStep 8

Prep order — what happens when, and what overlaps

minutes
01020304050
Cook rice (start first; or reheat) 45 min
45 min
Cut napa + shiitake 5 min
5 min
Mix sauce, beat eggs 2 min
Simmer stems + shiitake 4 min
4 min
Leaves in, lid on 2 min
Pour ⅔ egg, cover 1 min
Pour ⅓ egg, heat off, rest 1 min
Slide onto rice 48 s
Hands-offBoardBowl / counterPan / stove

With rice already cooked and shiitake already soaked, it’s about 15 minutes.

Step by step

  1. Rice first

    1Rice first

    ~45 min ahead

    For this step

    • Cooked short-grain rice1 bowl (~200 g)

    Have a bowl of hot rice ready before starting the pan — the egg won’t wait.

  2. Cut a V along each side of the thick white rib to separate the stem from the leaf.
    Cut a V along each side of the thick white rib to separate the stem from the leaf.
    Squeeze the soaked shiitake, cut off the stems and slice the caps.
    Squeeze the soaked shiitake, cut off the stems and slice the caps.

    2Cut

    ~5 min

    For this step

    • Napa cabbage150 g (3–4 leaves); stems sliced 1 cm
    • Soaked shiitake3
    • Separate the napa stems from the leaves.
    • Slice the stems about 1 cm across and chop the leaves.
    • Squeeze the soaked shiitake, cut off the stems and slice the caps.
    Cut
    Should look like this
  3. Beat loosely — a few quick strokes, cutting through the whites. Stop while streaks remain.
    Beat loosely — a few quick strokes, cutting through the whites. Stop while streaks remain.

    3Sauce and eggs

    ~2 min

    For this step

    • Eggs2
    • Mix the sauce:
      • shiitake–kombu dashi 80 ml
      • soy sauce 1 tbsp
      • mirin 1 tbsp
      • sake 1 tbsp
      • sugar 1 tsp
    • Beat the eggs loosely — a few strokes, streaks of white and yolk.
    Sauce and eggs
    Should look like this
  4. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then add the stems and shiitake.
    Bring the sauce to a simmer, then add the stems and shiitake.

    4Simmer stems and shiitake

    medium3–4 min
    • Sauce into the small pan with the napa stems and shiitake.
    • Simmer until the stems turn translucent.
    Simmer stems and shiitake
    Should look like this
  5. Pile the leaves on top and cover — they only need a minute or two.
    Pile the leaves on top and cover — they only need a minute or two.

    5Leaves in, lid on

    medium1–2 min
    • Add the leaves, cover and cook until just wilted.
    • Napa gives off water — if the pan looks very wet, simmer uncovered for a minute to reduce before the egg.
    Leaves in, lid on
    Should look like this
  6. Pour ⅔ of the egg

    6Pour ⅔ of the egg

    medium30–60 s
    • Drizzle about two-thirds of the egg in a circle over the vegetables.
    • Cover until the edges set but the top is still runny.
  7. Pour the last third into the middle — then heat off, lid on.
    Pour the last third into the middle — then heat off, lid on.

    7Pour the rest, heat off

    heat off~45 s

    Pour the remaining egg, cook 10–15 seconds, turn off the heat and cover for 30 seconds — glossy and just set.

    Pour the rest, heat off
    Should look like this
  8. Tilt the pan over the rice and slide everything out in one go, broth included.
    Tilt the pan over the rice and slide everything out in one go, broth included.

    8Slide onto the rice

    For this step

    • Spring onion greensa few
    • Shichimi togarashioptional
    • Tilt the pan and slide everything, broth included, over the rice.
    • Spring onion greens and shichimi on top.
    Slide onto the rice
    Should look like this