Rice Bowls have gotten very popular and come in endless types. But I’ve loved rice bowls long before they became all the rage. If you’re not familiar with rice bowls they’re basically a bowl of rice topped with pretty much anything you want. My favorite ones are Japanese Donburis.
Donburi is a rice bowl dish served in a bowl which in Japan are also called “donburi”. There are many different types of Donburi but the most popular ones are Tempura Donburi or better known as Tendon if it’s made with shrimp, Chicken or Pork Katsu Donburi also called Katsudon. You’ll also find Tempura Donburi with fish and vegetable tempuras, Teriyaki, and other types of popular Japanese dishes. Another basic ingredient of most Donburi dishes is egg meaning veggies and other ingredients are scrambled with eggs and a donburi sauce which is then placed on a bed of rice and topped with a desired tempura, katsu, or a preferred protein including teriyaki beef or chicken.
My long time favorite is Tendon or Shrimp Tempura Donburi. I’ve been enjoying this rice bowl since I first discovered it while I was in high school. I also like the Katsudon!
I’ve always been able to get my Tendon from most Japanese restaurants in my area, and since I live in Hawaii my neighborhood grocery store. But when the pandemic locked us down for a month I decided to try and make it at home, after all it’s just shrimp tempura, eggs, Kamaboko (fish cake) and veggies over a bed of rice. How hard could that be?
Making Tendon is actually pretty easy but it does require making Shrimp Tempura. Since I must make the tempura batter for the shrimp I also make vegetable tempura with zucchini, green beans, and pretty much what I have on hand.
Another important part of this or any Donburi is the sauce. The sauce is made with Mirin (a Japanese rice wine used for cooking), soy sauce, dashi (fish stock) and sugar. This give the dish it’s sweet salty taste that make it delicious! You can find all the ingredients at an Asian market. The Dashi usually is in powder form like boullion so you’ll have to mix it as directed to get the liquid stock.
Of course the “star” of this dish is the Shrimp Tempura. You can either use a tempura mix also found at the Asian market, or you can make your own batter. Either way the most important things to remember to make perfect tempura batter is to use ice cold water and to not over stir the batter, it needs to have some lumps in it. In fact the best way to stir this batter is with chopsticks, so leave your whisk or electric mixers out of it.
So here’s the recipe for both Shrimp Tempura (it’s the same batter for fish or vegetable tempura) and the Donburi itself. This recipe makes 2 bowls.
Tendon
Ingredients for the Tempura
1 Cup Flour, shifted
1 Egg
1 Cup water
Ice cubes for chilling water
4 Large Shrimp – shelled and deveined but leave the tail on, pat dry with paper towel
Cut vegetables – zucchini, green beans, etc. (optional)
1/8 Cup flour
Oil for frying
Ingredients for Sauce:
6 Tbs. Mirin
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
3 Tbs. Liquid Dashi – mix Dashi powder as directed on the box
2 Tbs. Sugar
Ingredients for Donburi:
2 Eggs, beaten
1/2 Onion, sliced
1/2 Cup Shitake Mushrooms (optional)
1/2 Kamaboko, cut into thin strips (optional)
1/3 Cup Green Onions, chopped (optional)
1 Tbs. Oil
Donburi Sauce
2 Cups Cooked White Rice
Seaweed flakes (optional)
Directions to make Tempura:
Place about 2″ of oil in a pot and start to heat while you prepare the batter.
Place shifted flower in a bowl and set aside.
In another bowl slightly beat egg – beat until yolk and white is just combined.
Add ice to water until the water is chilled.
Remove ice and pour water in the bowl with the beaten egg.
Mix gently together.
Stir in flour, do not over mix there should be lumps in the batter. Use right away, if for some reason you can’t use it immediately place in the refrigerator for a few minutes until you’re ready to fry.
Place 1/8 cup of flour in a dish.
Test the oil temperature by dropping a small bit of batter in oil, if oil bubbles around the batter the oil is ready.
Roll shrimp or vegetable in the dish of flour, shake off excess.
Dip in batter, let excess batter drip off before adding into hot oil.
Place battered shrimp and veggies in hot oil to fry. Do not over crowd the pot, cook in batches if you have to.
Turn as needed to cook all sides. Tempura is done when the shrimp or vegetable starts to float.
Drain on rack and set aside.
Directions for the sauce:
Mix all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside until needed.
Directions for the Donburi:
Heat oil in a skillet.
Saute onions in skillet until it starts to go limp and clear
Add in Kamoboko, mushrooms, and green onions (reserve some as garnish if desired)
Cook about 3-4 minutes.
Add in Donburi Sauce and simmer for 1 minute.
Pour beaten egg over all and cook until egg is done.
Place 1 Cup of rice in each bowl.
Cute the Egg mixture in half and place a half over each bowl of rice.
Top with Shrimp and Vegetable (if you made some) Tempura and garnish with green onions and seaweed flakes
In another bowl slightly beat egg - beat until yolk and white is just combined.
Add ice to water until the water is chilled.
Remove ice and pour water in the bowl with the beaten egg.
Mix gently together.
Stir in flour, do not over mix there should be lumps in the batter. Use right away, if for some reason you can't use it immediately place in the refrigerator for a few minutes until you're ready to fry.
Place 1/8 cup of flour in a dish.
Test the oil temperature by dropping a small bit of batter in oil, if oil bubbles around the batter the oil is ready.
Roll shrimp or vegetable in the dish of flour, shake off excess.
Dip in batter, let excess batter drip off before adding into hot oil.
Place battered shrimp and veggies in hot oil to fry. Do not over crowd the pot, cook in batches if you have to.
Turn as needed to cook all sides. Tempura is done when the shrimp or vegetable starts to float.
Drain on rack and set aside.
Sauce
Mix all ingredients together and set aside until needed
Donburi
Heat oil in a skillet.
Saute onions in skillet until it starts to go limp and clear
Add in Kamoboko, mushrooms, and green onions (reserve some as garnish if desired)
Cook about 3-4 minutes.
Add in Donburi Sauce and simmer for 1 minute.
Pour beaten egg over all and cook until egg is done.
Divide cooked egg mixture in half and place one half on top of each bowl of rice.
Place 2 Shrimp Tempura & pieces of veggie tempura (if you made some) on top of egg.
Garnish with green onions and seafood flakes if desired.
One of our favorite food is Korean Kalbi, or barbecued beef short ribs. We usually order this at one of the local fast food Korean restaurants, but it’s pretty pricey; you get 3 thin short ribs, a couple of scoops of steamed white rice, and a choice of 4 side dishes (kim chee, bean sprouts, tofu, etc.) for a over $12 a plate.
My husband’s main complaint about the local restaurants isn’t the the price or the serving size of the kalbi, it’s about the flimsy plastic utensils they provide which usually snaps in half the moment you try to cut into the meat. Hence he has decided not to patronize any of the fast food style Korean barbecue joints.
There are sit down Korean restaurants where you can grill your own meats, the meal comes with many side dishes, soup, and steamed rice; but they also come with a hefty price tag. The last time my girlfriend and I stopped at one for lunch it cost us a little bit over $65, and that’s without drinks or tip! Not to mention that was the least expensive barbecue dish on the menu! The food was good, specially the kalbi, but I’m sure we won’t be repeating it often.
To solve all these issues I’ve found a great Korean Kalbi recipe to make at home. I make it of our Sunday barbecue and it was a big hit with my family. I used thin cut boneless beef short ribs which I threaded on to bamboo skewers to make them into kebabs. You can use bone-in short ribs and don’t have to thread them on to skewers, I do however recommend that you use the thinner cuts so that the marinade will infuse the meat better.
I served this with steamed white rice, macaroni salad, and kim chee cabbage; it was even better than the plates we get at the Korean restaurants at less than half the price! (The short ribs cost $6.97 a pound, if you get the thin cut that’s 6 short ribs).
Another way to serve this is on small white corn tortillas with shredded cabbage, just like the Korean Kalbi Tacos from the food truck in L.A.! We served it this way for my mom’s 80th. birthday party a few years ago.
Just in time for your Labor Day barbecue! Here’s my recipe!
Boneless Beef Short Rib Kalbi Kebabs
Makes 18 skewers
Ingredients:
3 lbs. thin cut boneless beef short ribs (you should get 18 short ribs. You can use bone-in ribs if you prefer)
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbls. fresh ginger – finely grated
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tbls. minced garlic
1 tbls. white sesame seeds
1 tbls. black sesame seeds
2 stalks green onions – chopped
Directions:
1. Cut short ribs into thirds if you will be threading them on to skewers, if not then don’t cut them.
2. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix until sugar dissolves.
3. Pour marinade into large ziplock bag.
4. Put meat into marinade and marinate in the fridge overnight.
5. Thread meat on to skewers and barbecue on the grill to desired doneness. If you’re not making kebabs then cook ribs on the grill until done.
Serve hot immediately off the grill.
Looking for more grilling inspiration? Check out PersonalCreations.com and see how people grill around the world!
I’m a Filipina who grew up in NYC and now lives in Hawaii. Growing up rice was always part of the breakfast menu, actually it was part of every meal. This my have been considered weird back in the 60’s in NYC, but when my family moved to Hawaii in the late 70’s we fit right in.
Growing up we always had an electric rice cooker filled with rice in the kitchen. Left over or day old rice was fried with garlic for breakfast the next morning, we called it “Sinangag”. These days Filipino restaurants call it “Garlic Fried Rice”. Whatever you call it Filipino fried rice is delicious with fried eggs and breakfast meats, preferably Filipino cured meats like Tocino or Tapa.
My grandmothers would make fried rice every morning adding their own twist. Traditionally I think it was made by stir frying left over rice with garlic. My family added soy sauce and green onions to this mix, so that’s pretty much how we make it today.
In Hawaii which is a melting pot of different cultures the Filipino garlic fried rice has melded with other Asian versions of fried rice. On the islands an order of Fried Rice is a meal by itself covering most of the basic food groups; dairy, grains, meats, and veggies, depending on what you put in it.
I look at making fried rice like I do making Lumpia or Eggrolls; you toss in whatever you find in the fridge and call it a day. I simply build ingredients around day old rice (using fresh rice isn’t recommended as it can get too mushy). Fried Rice can be as simple as stir frying garlic and rice or as elaborate as tossing in seafood, meat, and vegetables, like what you’d find on a Chinese Restaurant menu.
If I’m serving it as a side dish then the simpler version usually works best, but if I intend for it to be a complete meal then of course I add more “stuff” in it. So today I’ll share my “recipe” for easy fried rice. Measurements really aren’t that important because it pretty much depends on how much day old rice you have. If you do decide to make it using fresh cooked rice then decrease the water when cooking so that the rice is drier and not mushy; it helps to make fresh rice in the morning and letting it “dry” a bit before making fried rice for lunch or dinner.
Easy Fried Rice
Ingredients:
Cooked White Rice – preferably day old rice
1-2 Tsp. Minced Garlic – adjust to taste
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce – adjust to taste and the amount of rice you have
Scrambled Egg chopped into pieces
Meat – I use canned Spam or Portuguese Sausage but you can use any type of breakfast meat you want like bacon or sausage – cooked and diced
2-4 Stalks Green Onions Chopped
1/2 Cup Frozen Green Peas (Optional)
2 Tbl. Oil
Directions:
Cook and dice your Egg and Meat – set aside.
Heat Oil in Wok or Frying Pan
Stir in garlic and cook about 45 seconds. Don’t let it burn – lower heat if you have to.
Add cooked rice and mix well with garlic. Break up any large clumps of rice.
Drizzle soy sauce over rice and stir in making sure it is evenly distributed. Add more a little at a time if needed. Don’t over do the soy sauce as your fried rice will be too salty.
Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix in to the rice evenly.
Garnish with extra green onions if desired. Serve hot.
Frico cups are small cups made entirely out of cheese. They are naturally low carb, gluten-free, and completely irresistible.
You know that little bit of cheese that oozes onto the skillet when making a grilled cheese sandwich? The stuff that turns dark and crispy and perfect for popping in your mouth? Frico cups are essentially an entire serving bowl made of that rich crispy cheese.
You can make them in various sizes. Yet I’ve discovered if you bake them about the size of a paper muffin liner and fill them with a smaller serving of salad, they’re more likely to disappear!
Frico is what Italians call the wafer like crisp that forms when you bake or fry shredded cheese.
This delicate, baked Parmesan cheese cups are deceptively easy to make. You can fill them with whatever you want, but grape tomato, olive and feta make for a light and refreshing snack.
Ingredients
For the Frico Cups
Parmesan cheese (3 tbsp. per cup)
For the Grape Tomato, Olive and Feta Salad
4 c. grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. green olives, sliced and pitted
1/3 c. crumbled feta cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt
black pepper
Basil, for garnish
For the Sesame Cucumber and Radish Salad
1 English cucumber, finely chopped
3 large radishes, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. lime juice
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp. black and white sesame seeds
Kosher salt
black pepper
For the Farro, Corn and Green Onion Salad
4 ears corn, husked
2 c. cooked farro
2 green onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt
black pepper
Directions
For the Frico Cups: Grate Parmesan and make piles, 2 inches apart, on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F until melted but not quite brown (6 minutes); use a thin metal spatula to quickly transfer to muffin pan, pressing lightly in centers. Cool before filling.
For the Grape Tomato, Olive and Feta Salad: In medium bowl, combine grape tomatoes, green olives, feta cheese, sherry vinegar, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; garnish with basil.
For the Sesame, Cucumber and Radish Salad: Toss cucumbers and radishes with lime juice, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Season with salt and pepper.
For the Farro, Corn and Green Onion Salad: Preheat grill on medium-high. Grill corn 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove from grill, let cool. Cut kernels off into large bowl; toss with farro, green onions, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Simple, summery and a great little appetizer with a salty parmesan bowl of its own.!
Pinoy (Filipino ) Chicken Noodle Soup is a tasty noodle soup dish usually made from bone-in chicken thighs, bacon and chicken liver. It has that good Asian chicken flavor and can help keep you warm during cold season.
I love cooking my own chicken noodle soup at home because aside from having the chance to enhance my cooking skills, I also get the opportunity to make chicken noodle soup the way I like it to be and within my budget.
This Recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup is very simple and quick and yet delicious. This is perfect for those Asian Food Lovers. Enjoy Cooking!!!
Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken, cut into small pieces
1 lb. round miki noodles
½ cup chopped chicken liver
4 pcs. crumbled bacon
4 cups chicken broth
½ small cabbage, core removed and chopped
1 medium carrot, julienne
¼ cup chopped green onions
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. fish sauce we called it (patis)
2 tbsp. cooking oil
2 cups water
Directions:
Heat the oil in a cooking pot.
Then sauté the garlic and onion.
Then add the chicken and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until it turns light brown.
Add the chicken liver. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Pour-in water and chicken broth, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
Add the bacon, cabbage and carrots. Stir and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
Pour-in the fish sauce and stir.
Pour the miki noodles and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
One of our favorite food is Korean Kalbi, or barbecued beef short ribs. We usually order this at one of the local fast food Korean restaurants, but it’s pretty pricey; you get 3 thin short ribs, a couple of scoops of steamed white rice, and a choice of 4 side dishes (kim chee, bean sprouts, tofu, etc.) for a over $12 a plate.
You know that little bit of cheese that oozes onto the skillet when making a grilled cheese sandwich? The stuff that turns dark and crispy and perfect for popping in your mouth? Frico cups are essentially an entire serving bowl made of that rich crispy cheese.
