donburi

Donburi is a Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of steamed white rice topped with a combination of ingredients that are simmered, fried, or grilled and served with a sauce. The term donburi also refers to the large bowl used for serving the dish. It is a flexible category that encompasses many different toppings and preparations.

The most well-known form is gyudon, where thinly sliced beef and onion are simmered in a soy-based stock with dashi, mirin, and sugar, sometimes finished with a beaten egg. Other popular varieties include katsudon (breaded pork cutlet and onion with egg), oyakodon (chicken and egg), tendon (tempura over rice), and unadon or unagi-don (grilled eel with tare). These dishes share a common base of white rice and a protein topping, often bound with a light sauce.

Preparation methods vary: ingredients may be pan-fried, simmered in stock, or battered and fried, then spooned over hot rice. Some versions include an egg that is gently cooked with the other ingredients, creating a cohesive, saucy top. Donburi is typically eaten with chopsticks and is a common convenience and comfort meal in Japan, served in homes, casual eateries, and specialized donburi restaurants.

Origin and scope: Donburi emerged as a practical single-dish meal in Japan, with its form consolidating in the Edo period and expanding in the 20th century. Today, donburi denotes both the dish and the bowl used for serving, and it encompasses a wide range of regional and seasonal toppings. Internationally, donburi-style bowls appear in Japanese restaurants around the world, sometimes fused with local ingredients.