Six of the best rice bowl recipes

80g butter
2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
4 boned and skinned chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
100g shiitake mushrooms, destemmed and thinly sliced
200ml chicken stock
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sugar
8 eggs
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 pinch chilli powder

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, then add the onions and cook until they soften and brown – about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken and mushrooms, and cook for another five to 10 minutes, until these brown as well.

Pour in the stock, soy, mirin and sugar, and cook for 10 minutes, or until the liquid reduces and coats the chicken.

Lower the heat and crack in the eggs. Break the yolks and stir gently. When cooked to a semi-scrambled consistency, take off the heat.

Scoop the rice into deep bowls, top with the chicken and egg mixture, and garnish with spring onions and chilli powder.

Salmon poké

Poké, arguably the state dish of Hawaii, is having a moment in the UK. Although it isn’t a Japanese preparation, the combination of raw fish, soy sauce and sesame oil will please any fans of sushi or sashimi.

Prep 15 min
Cook 10 min
Serves 4

4 limes, zested and juiced
1 small red chilli, thinly sliced
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 small onion, peeled and diced
Salt
500-600g very fresh boneless salmon
1 ripe avocado
½ cucumber
50g samphire (optional)
100g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp wakame (or similar dried seaweed), rehydrated
40g macadamia nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Toasted sesame seeds
2 spring onions, finely sliced

Make the dressing: stir together the lime juice and zest, chilli, soy, sesame oil, sugar and vinegar.

Toss the diced onion with a big pinch of salt and leave to sit while you get on with everything else.

Cut the salmon into 2.5cm cubes, and cut the avocado and cucumber into 1cm cubes. Break the samphire (if using) into bite-sized pieces, discarding any woody bits.

Rinse the salted onion thoroughly under cold water, then mix with the salmon, vegetables, seaweed and dressing.

You can serve it up immediately but, if you have the time, it’s better if left to marinate for at least an hour. To serve, scoop the rice into dishes and top with the salmon mixture. Garnish with the macadamia nuts, sesame seeds and spring onions.

Mapo tofu

Lately I’ve been obsessed with this dish. It’s a Sichuan classic that marries the silky-soft blandness of tofu with bold, spiky hot-and-numbing Sichuan flavours. Although it is a tofu dish, it isn’t actually vegetarian because of the inclusion of pork mince for flavour and texture, but you can use mushrooms instead and it’s still pretty good.

Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4