So today I just couldn’t get my act together, I wanted to make Oyako dons for like two days. Donburi is a term the Japanese use for rice bowls. The Oyako is a chicken and the egg bowl, translating to to parent and child, it has dashi, but that is about the only really exotic ingredient. During the week I don’t drive at all, I do everything in the nomadic style (on foot) with two kids which is not always an easy feat. Today the store I was shopping at didn’t have the chicken thighs or the dashi, so I changed it up. I have this badass cook book from a thrift store about Donburi’s and it had a Ma po (pork and tofu), both of which the store had so that was the new plan. Honestly though, this is a great method for any ingredients, quinoa instead of rice, brown rice, vegetarian, anything you like you can choose, and it’s a great way to use up stuff in the fridge or pantry.
I used a lb of lean, course ground pork
1lb firm tofu
1 Cup mushrooms of choice, I used button and sautéed them first so they would be golden, then I added them back in at the end
1 small shallot, I had one in the fridge and had half a medium white onion, diced both browned them with the pork
1 small zucchini, diced small added in last, not as good when overcooked, had this leftover from the farmer’s market and wanted to use it.
Thought I had a can of water chestnuts, upon inspection, I did not, so I used half a jicama diced small.
¼ Cup hoision sauce
1 tsp chili garlic paste (add what you like)
1 can of creamed corn, yeah weird I know, but I thought it was regular and wasn’t worked great actually cause it already contains a lil’ sugar and cornstarch so I didn’t need to add any extra sugar or starch.
So in a hot wok I added two tablespoons canola oil, browned meat, with onions, added tofu, jicama, hoison, chili garlic paste, added corn and a lil soy sauce to taste. Done. Serve over rice or whatever you like, we used good old short gain Japanese sushi rice. I topped our bowls with green peas, scallions, sciracha, sesame seeds, and sautéed mushrooms. This makes about 6-8 bowls so you can freeze half to use later or this is great for big groups, we just eat the rest for dinner the next day.
Mediterranean meatballs and Greek lemon pilaf
My folks had a restaurant growing up and a large part of my youth was spent prepping food with my family and our employees (friends). I could make Greek lemon rice before I was able to write in cursive. So “pilafi” is something I can make blind folded with one hand tied behind my back, it also just happens to be fast and delicious, definitely my go to side dish. Pilafi is fast, affordable, and a total crowd pleaser. The “meatballs” I made are a new recipe I decided to try because I had a few things I needed to use up and they are about 50/50 meat and veg. This is what I had to work with: pita chips (crushed to replace bread crumbs), feta, 1lb Italian chicken sausage, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, 1 can cannellini beans, frozen chopped broccoli rabe. I’m gonna be honest with you….the mix looked not so sexy….and honestly they aren’t beautiful…although I’ve never met a gorgeous meatball…I am a bit of presentation perfectionist, I was honestly not sure I even wanted to post the recipe because frankly they are homely….but sometimes it what’s inside that counts and these were filling and delicious.
• Preheated 375 degree oven, baking sheet
• 1lb ground meat (I used hot Italian chicken sausage)
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup crushed pita chips
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• ¼ cup chopped Kalamata olives
• ¼ cup crumbled feta
• 1 cup frozen chopped broccoli rabe (you can sub spinach)
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ¼ chopped sundried tomato (not in oil)
• Chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish
• I used sausage which is pre-seasoned and the olive and cheese added plenty of salt so I wouldn’t recommend adding any additional seasoning…seriously.
Mix up all the ingredients till it look basically like carnage…haha….and form in golf ball sized meatballs. Put in oven cook 30 minutes or until brown.
While they bake make your rice:
• 1 cup long grain rice, rinsed
• 1 ¾ cup chicken broth, I used salted, if you use unsalted you will need to add salt.
• Juice of one lemon
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 T olive oil
In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat, sauté onions in oil and butter till translucent. Turn heat to high, add chicken broth, when it’s at a boil, add rice and reduce heat to medium low, simmer 15 minutes, add lemon juice and turn off heat. Fluff with a fork before serving.
Enjoy!
