Unadon (鰻丼)

By cookism

We are unabashed suckers for Japanese cuisine, and the Unadon is without a doubt our Achilles heel. With the portions sold outside both miserable and pricey, we figured the best way to enjoy our favourite donburi is to whip it up at home. A bowl of unadon has to be the perfect epitome of the essence of Japanese food—exquisitely presented with the fragrant pearls of Japanese rice, sake-infused runny egg and the gloriously umami slab of grilled eel that brims with the goodness of the sea. This dish is easily put together and is best enjoyed with a Haruki Murakami book.

Ingredients

• Unagi sauce:
• 1 Unagi Kabayaki
• 3 Eggs
• 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion (cut into thin slices)
• Nori (cut into strips, to serve)
• Roasted Sesame Seeds (to serve)
• 1 Cup of Japanese Short-grain Rice
• 1 tbsp Sake + extra for brushing
• 2 tbsp Mirin
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Honey
• Egg sauce:
• 50 ml of Dashi Stock
• 1/2 tbsp of Sake
• 1/2 tbsp Mirin
• 1/2 tbsp of Sugar
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from cookism.tumblr.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place rice in a heavy bottom pot with a tight-fitting lid. Using your hand, wash and rinse the rice 3 times to remove surface starch and dirt. Drain well with a sieve and transfer rice back to the pot. Soak rice in 1 cup plus 2 tablespoon of water for 30 minutes. Bring the covered pot to a boil over medium heat, Listen carefully for signs of boiling like the chattering lid or bubbling. Refrain from lifting the lid. Turn the heat to low and let the rice cook for about 5 minutes or till water has been absorbed. If unsure, take a quick peek. Turn the heat up to high for about 30 seconds to dry the rice. Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand covered for 10 minutes. With a rice paddle, fluff the rice and divide it into two rice bowls.
2. While the rice is soaking, make the unagi sauce. Combine sake and mirin in a small saucepan. Cook slightly to evaporate the alcohol, then add in soy sauce and honey. Bring the mixture to a boil and transfer it to a sauce bowl. Drizzle a little unagi sauce over steamed rice.
3. Preheat oven to 200C. Place the unagi onto a baking tray lined with aluminium foil. Lightly dab it with sake and bake for about 8 minutes.
4. In the meantime, cut onion into thin slices and lightly beat the eggs. Over medium heat, combine the egg sauce ingredients in a frying pan. Stir well and add in the onion slices. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to soften the onion. Pour in half the egg into the pan, distributing it evenly over the surface. Cover and cook for 1 minute until the egg is slightly firm. Add in the rest of the egg, turning off the heat and covering the pan for 30 seconds. Divide and top egg onto the rice.
5. Cut the unagi into two and place it on top of the individual bowls of egg and rice. Drizzle a litle unagi sauce and serve with nori strips or sesame seeds. Enjoy!