By Eric Kim
Published March 14, 2024
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- 4(279)
- Notes
- Read community notes
In the pantheon of comforting donburi (Japanese rice bowl dishes like katsudon, oyakodon and gyudon), bacon and eggs aren’t traditional toppings by any means, but they sure hit the spot. Eggs, soft-scrambled in the bacon fat with mirin and soy sauce, serve as a gently sweetened duvet for the rice and a counter to the salty bacon. Mirin, the Japanese rice wine, does a lot of work here to take ordinary eggs and rice to restaurant-flavor heights. To level up the rice, stir in 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon mirin while fluffing it. A sprinkle of furikake (rice seasoning) and shichimi togarashi (seven-spice blend) might feel like gilding the lily, but their nuanced savoriness completes this dish.
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Ingredients
Yield:2 servings
- 1cup medium-grain white rice, such as Calrose
- 3slices thick-cut bacon (5 ounces), halved crosswise
- 4large eggs
- 1tablespoon mirin
- 1teaspoon soy sauce
- Furikake and shichimi togarashi, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
785 calories; 36 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 79 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 29 grams protein; 835 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water, shaking constantly, for just a few seconds. Add to a medium pot with 1½ cups cold water and soak for 10 minutes. Bring the water to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to very low, cover and continue simmering without peeking for 17 minutes.
Step
2
Remove from the heat, and as quickly as you can, open the lid, cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel and tamp on the lid again. Let the rice finish steaming, covered, until the grains are soft, distended and a little shiny, at least 10 minutes.
Step
3
While the rice steams off heat, cook the bacon and eggs: In a cold skillet, lay the bacon in a single layer; add 1 tablespoon cold water and place over medium heat. Cook the bacon, flipping occasionally and lowering the heat if needed, until very crispy and the fat is evenly browned and no longer white, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet.
Step
4
In a bowl, stir the eggs, mirin and soy sauce to combine. Add to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and vigorously with a flexible spatula for the first 30 seconds then occasionally, so you end up with large curds, 2 to 3 minutes. The eggs should be set but still wet on top. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid to continue steaming in the residual heat, just a few seconds.
Step
5
Uncover your steamed rice and fluff with a fork. Divide the rice between a couple of bowls and dust with furikake. Now divide the eggs between the bowls, followed by the bacon and a sprinkle of togarashi.
Ratings
4
out of 5
279
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Cooking Notes
Brad
I've written this note before but want to share it here, again. Do not be fooled by Aji-Mirin. Aji-Mirin literally means "Mirin like" and is not true Mirin and barely tastes like it. Mirin has a slight alcohol content so, depending on your area, your grocery may not be able to carry it. I'll make this variation soon as I'm really loving Eric and J. Kenji's contributions to the Times. Kudos, gentlemen. But, without a doubt, I'm adding Chili Crisp. IMO - Lao Gan is the PERFECT chili crisp.
Tom H
Variations of this dish have been popular in Hawaii forever, both with the "elevated" ingredients and other substitutions. One obvious sub is Spam instead of bacon, but also adding sugar instead of mirin. This is comfort food if you're a rice eater for sure. Calrose rice is a minimally-acceptable grade, but I recommend commonly-available upgrade picks like Nishiki and Kokoho (pink).
GeeWhy
Forever indeed!! ONE of the solutions to the quandary of what do do with the leftover rice from last night [the other being fried rice]? This is a pretty high-brow recipe. If you're cooking FRESH rice to make this, you're either an avid reader of NYT Cooking,....or homesick for comfort food from back home. Go for the Spam!!
FL
This dish resembles Southern comfort food. Scrambled eggs and rice with country ham and a biscuit. Hot sauce or red eye gravy optional. People all over the world know comfort food when they see it.
Adam
I agree with the Hawaii comment, I think spam would do better here and without the need for cooking in bacon fat or adding furikake— the contrast of light eggs and white rice against salty (already) spam is really nice
Sophie
I made this for breakfast/lunch this morning exactly according to the recipe. Except that I didn't have Calrose rice, so I used sushi rice. Terrific! I will certainly make it again.
mgsinbt
The only two thingsI would add to this recipe are:-1) Try British or Danish bacon2) Do NOT make it crisp!
BJ
While this calls for medium rice, a dish like this can be enjoyed with whatever is on hand. I'll use long grain brown rice, saute some chopped onions gently and add the eggs to that, skipping bacon as I am a vegetarian. It won't be the original recipe, but using it as a prompt for an easy meal works for me.
William Wroblicka
My suggestion would be not to pay much attention, much less rely on, times specified in recipes like this -- there are too many variables that could affect the actual duration of each step. Instead, go by visual and olfactory cues and occasional tastes of what's cooking to pace the steps in a recipe.
Scottie
Did anyone else have issues with the soy sauce turning the eggs brown?
Irene
I'm from Hawaii, where "bowls" like this are a local staple. Instead of bacon or Spam, another favorite meat to use with eggs and rice is spicy Portuguese sausage, sliced into diagonal rounds and pan fried. If you can't find it, andouille is a good substitute. And add a generous sprinkle of sliced green onions on top for a colorful and flavorful garnish.
Roberto
This is delicious but I think I want to add some vegetables to it - maybe some chopped green beans or celery or steamed asparagus.
Keith
Isn't there a setting on my zojirushi rice cooker, which has zillions of settings, for this rather complicated rice cooking procedure?
Stripe
The recipe does indeed complicate the way to cook rice. All that I can figure out is that the author wants to reduce the steam/moisture by using a cloth towel before putting the dish together.I have a 35 year old Japanese made Tiger rice cooker with an on and warm switch. It still makes great rice.Spend a bit more on rice that is more forgiving of time variations in recipes. I use sushi rice in 90% of the rice dishes I make. It stays firm and has a sweet flavor.
Ron
Made this with only 1/2 cup of rice, which turned out to be plenty for two people. Didn't have the two final seasonings so they might make a difference but overall it was just okay.
Ron
This looks intriguing but a cup of uncooked rice for just two people? I make a half cup for my wife and I when we each want a large portion. I would also use brown rice just because it's healthier. And I will probably use butter instead of bacon fat to cook the eggs.
John L
OK, after years of wondering…How does space/time or simple math work with these recipes. With a Total Time for then entire recipe shown at 25 minutes and the first 2 steps requiring 37 minutes, do these cooks have a perception of time different than us mere mortals? How does one get home and cook this in 25 minutes? Inquiring minds want to know what the real secret is???
William Wroblicka
My suggestion would be not to pay much attention, much less rely on, times specified in recipes like this -- there are too many variables that could affect the actual duration of each step. Instead, go by visual and olfactory cues and occasional tastes of what's cooking to pace the steps in a recipe.
Roberto
25 minutes was about right for me - I started the bacon with about 5 minutes left on the rice cooking time, then moved the bacon to paper towels just as the rice was done with it's primary cooking time of 17 min, covered the rice with dish towel after fluffing (per directions) and then started the eggs which were cooked just in time for the rice to be done resting. Figure out where you can overlap tasks and you shorten the time considerably compared to doing everything in sequential steps.
Cathy G.
This looked delish so I decided to make it for dinner. I realized that I didn't have white rice, only a little brown and wild rice, so made that instead. In the fridge, I realized that I had forgotten to buy bacon, but had prosciutto and threw a couple of slices into the eggs while cooking. I sauteed mushrooms and threw the eggs in. Then by some miracle, I had Furikake thanks to my daughter who buys all kinds of seasonings that I never use. Not exactly this recipe, but a very good substitute!
Sophie
I made this for breakfast/lunch this morning exactly according to the recipe. Except that I didn't have Calrose rice, so I used sushi rice. Terrific! I will certainly make it again.
buck
Good and easy. But not great.
ypmd
THIS is how you cook Calrose rice! PERFECTION
John
This is not worth the effort. The flavors and textures of this recipe just don't work. I am very disappointed in this recipe.
delicieux
I add sugar, soy sauce and mirin and then layer it in an omelet. Best evah!
Kraig
What are some vegetables you might add to this? Thin strips of red pepper? Diced green onion? Mushrooms?
Shelly K.
I would probably do a smashed cucumber salad or cabbage.
cg
I had some mushrooms and green onions I wanted to use up. Pan-roasted them and layered them between the rice and the eggs. Yum.
BJ
While this calls for medium rice, a dish like this can be enjoyed with whatever is on hand. I'll use long grain brown rice, saute some chopped onions gently and add the eggs to that, skipping bacon as I am a vegetarian. It won't be the original recipe, but using it as a prompt for an easy meal works for me.
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