The Ultimate Guide to Donburi
The humble Japanese rice bowl, or donburi, takes Japan’s plentiful ingredients and transforms them into incredibly diverse flavours
Donburi is an essential part of Japanese cuisine, enjoyed both at home and when on the go. Simple yet stunningly easy, it is one of the most renowned dishes in Japan’s rich food culture.
1.So what exactly is donburi?
Making a Donburi is simply topping a bowl of rice with your preferred ingredients. These ingredients are wide-ranging and include meat, fish, vegetables, or whatever is at hand, all served in a limitless number of ways. With everything from easy-on-the-wallet gyudon (beef on rice) to more extravagant unadon (grilled eel on rice), donburi is perfect for any budget. Donburi is known as an easy home-cooked dish, sometimes served in school lunches, and readily available from convenience stores and restaurant chains. What makes donburi so appealing is that it makes a versatile meal anywhere, anytime.
2.Six of the most beloved donburi classics
We put together a little taste of some of Japan’s most popular donburi.
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Gyudon
This is the donburi that comes to mind straight away for most Japanese. Thinly sliced beef simmered in a sweet and spicy sauce.
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Oyakodon
This donburi is also frequently made at home. It has a mild flavour and is made by simmering chicken and beaten egg in broth.
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Katsudon
This is a hearty dish of crispy deep-fried tonkatsu (pork cutlet) topped with beaten raw egg.
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Unadon
This luxurious donburi is made by seasoning fragrantly grilled unagi (eel) with a specially made sauce.
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Tendon
This extravagant donburi features crispy fried prawn and vegetable tempura with a sweet, soy-based sauce drizzled over it.
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Kaisendon
Another luxurious donburi with a generous topping of fresh fish and seafood, that is also colourful and attractive.
3.Local donburi from around Japan leaves you hungry for more!
All over Japan, you will find local donburi that are full of character and proudly incorporate ingredients unique to the region. Here we have selected some of the ones you don’t want to miss out on!
Butadon from Hokkaido
A speciality of the Tokachi region, this donburi features grilled pork mixed with a sweet, spicy sauce.
Tarekatsudon from Niigata Prefecture
This donburi has a refined simple taste that utilises slender tonkatsu (pork cutlets) dipped in a sweet, spicy sauce.
Namashirasudon from Kanagawa Prefecture
This donburi is topped with a generous helping of fresh, raw shirasu (whitebait), and is a speciality of the Shonan region.
Hyugadon from Oita Prefecture
This regional speciality of lean, raw tuna on rice is drenched with a sweet, soy-based sauce containing sesame and egg yolk.
Mozukudon from Okinawa Prefecture
Characteristic of Okinawa, this refreshingly tasty donburi uses healthy mozuku seaweed.
Japanese rice is the magic behind donburi
As you might expect, great rice is the key to making fantastic donburi. Japanese rice is soft and plump with a hint of sweetness, so it is wonderfully compatible with every single topping. The rice for a donburi should be cooked so that it is slightly firmer than usual to power up the balance with these sauces and ingredients even further.
Perfect home-cooked rice for donburi with
the Panasonic SR-HL151
Make sure your rice has the ideal firmness for the perfect donburi. Just use the lines on the inner pot that indicate water levels for different types of rice. For those who are concerned about the glycemic index of rice, we suggest using the Healthy Low Sugar menu option. This makes for healthier rice that still retains its delicious flavour.
