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Loading...A warming Japanese rice soup built on a savory kombu and bonito dashi, finished with tender chicken, napa cabbage, shiitake, and delicate ribbons of beaten egg. It is the classic one-pot meal made to revive you on a chilly evening or after a long day, transforming leftover rice into something deeply comforting.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time40 mins
Servings4
Yield4 bowls
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 380 kcalCalories
- 13 gFat
- 3.5 gSaturated Fat
- 28 gCarbs
- 2.5 gFiber
- 2 gSugar
- 28 gProtein
- 950 mgSodium
- 560 mgPotassium
- 90 mgCalcium
- 2.5 mgIron
- 18 mgVitamin C
- 180 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the dashi broth
- 6 cups cold water
- 1 (4-inch) piece dried kombu (kelp)
- 1 cup loosely packed bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the soup
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 8 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced 1/4-inch thin
- 4 cups shredded napa cabbage (about 1/2 small head)
- 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (whites and greens kept separate)
- 2 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice, cold and slightly clumpy
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
For serving
- Freshly ground white pepper
- Extra sliced green onion tops
- Shichimi togarashi, optional
- A few drops of soy sauce, to taste
Directions
- 1. Make the dashi: place kombu in a saucepan with 6 cups cold water and soak 20 minutes. Slowly heat over medium until small bubbles form at the edges (about 180°F). Just before boiling, lift out and discard the kombu. Add the bonito flakes, push them under the surface, and remove from heat. Steep 4 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter. Return the clear broth to the pot.
- 2. Season the dashi with soy sauce, mirin, and salt. Keep warm over low heat while you prepare the soup base.
- 3. Heat sesame oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken slices in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes until just opaque on the bottom. Stir and cook 1 minute more until no pink remains.
- 4. Add napa cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, and the white parts of the green onions. Stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes until the cabbage just begins to wilt and the mushrooms soften.
- 5. Pour the warm seasoned dashi into the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 4 minutes so the chicken and vegetables absorb the broth flavor.
- 6. Add the cold cooked rice, breaking up any clumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice softens and the soup thickens to a loose, porridge-like consistency.
- 7. With the soup at a low simmer, slowly drizzle the beaten eggs in a thin, steady stream while stirring the pot in a wide circular motion. Let the eggs set undisturbed for 30 seconds so they form delicate ribbons rather than large curds.
- 8. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt, soy sauce, or a few grinds of white pepper as needed. Stir in the green onion tops and remove from heat.
- 9. Ladle into warm bowls, finish with a light grind of white pepper, extra green onions, and a pinch of shichimi togarashi if you like. Serve immediately while piping hot.
Cook’s Notes
- Day-old cold rice gives the best texture; fresh rice turns gummy. If using fresh rice, spread it on a tray to cool and dry for 10 minutes first.
- Never boil the dashi after adding bonito flakes or it turns bitter and cloudy. Steep only off the heat.
- For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken for cubed silken tofu and use a kombu-shiitake dashi (simmer 4 dried shiitake with the kombu).
- Stir the soup in one steady circular motion as you pour the eggs to create silky, even ribbons rather than chunky curds.
- Adjust thickness to taste: add a splash of hot dashi for a thinner soup, or simmer a few minutes longer for a heartier, porridge-like consistency.
