Donburi is a Japanese staple. It’s essentially rice (usually) with some kind of beautifully balanced, sweet and savory protein resting on top. This Donburi Bowl with Mushrooms and Teriyaki Tofu is easy, fast, satisfying and delicious.
Shimeji mushrooms and tofu are floured and coated with a quick teriyaki sauce, then served on top of some good quality brown sushi rice. It takes as long as it takes the rice to cook and is amazing served with some quick pickled radish.
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Ingredients
Serves 2 | Prep time 15 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes
Rice:
1 cup brown rice
1 cups water
Pinch salt
Tofu and mushroom topping:
2 cloves of garlic
1 small knob of ginger
2 tablespoon oil (for frying)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 block (280g) tofu
Handful of shimeji (est 80g)
¼ corn starch (cornflour or potato starch)
Quick teriyaki (sort of) sauce:
3 tablespoon soy sauce
3tbsp mirin
1 teaspoon caster sugar
Garnish:
1-2 Spring onions
Sprinkle of sesame seeds
1 leaf of Shiso (if you can find it
Instructions
1. Combine rice and water in a saucepan, ensuring the rice is level.
2. Heat on medium until simmering, then reduce to low and cook for 25-30 minutes.
3. While rice cooks: Peel the ginger using a peeler or teaspoon.
4. Mince the ginger by thinly slicing one way, then the other and then across the stalks again.
5. Peel the garlic, then slice thinly across the cloves.
6. Drain the tofu and cut into 1-inch cubes.
7. Trim the shimeji mushrooms and separate them, cleaning off any dirt.
8. Thinly slice spring onions for garnish and set aside.
9. In a bowl, coat the tofu cubes and mushrooms evenly with cornstarch.
10. Mix soy sauce, mirin, and sugar to create a teriyaki-like sauce; set aside.
11. Heat oil and sesame oil in a pan over medium heat, and fry the cornstarch-coated tofu cubes and mushrooms until golden.
12. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the tofu and mushrooms. Stir to combine and cook until the sauce is absorbed.
13. Check the rice for tenderness. By now all the water should be absorbed.
14. Plate up your rice in bowls and add your topping. Garnish with sesame, spring onions and radishes on the side.
Tips for making Donburi well:
- Drain and dry the tofu: Properly prepare your tofu by draining it and pressing it between kitchen towels to remove any surplus moisture. This means that the teriyaki flavors will remain robust and undiluted.
- Preheat the oil: This is important to achieve the perfect texture for the tofu and mushrooms, and to really lock in the flavors. Just heat the oil until it's hot, but not burning, before beginning to fry. Test the temperature by adding a small piece of mushroom; if it sizzles without smoking, your oil is at the ideal temperature. If smoke does appear, take your pan off the heat momentarily, then return it to a moderate temperature to begin cooking.
- Taste the teriyaki sauce: The teriyaki sauce should be bold and well-balanced between sweet and salty. Don't hesitate to adjust the seasoning by adding more mirin or sugar if the sauce is too salty, especially when using Tamari, which can be more potent due to its fermentation process. Start with a small amount and enhance according to your taste preferences.
Substitutions
- Soy sauce - if avoiding soy, you can use coconut aminos or noya sauce instead of soy sauce. To go gluten-free, choose a quality, wheat-free tamari. I recommend tasting as you go when adding any soy sauce alternative as the falvor and saltiness can vary. Adjust quantities according to your own taste and preferences.
- Tofu - eggplant and mushrooms offer substantial texture and are a robust whole-food substitute. For a "meatier" soy-free component, opt for pea-protein-based products, such as those by Beyond Meat, which provide a pea-based protein alternative. Take care to use these meat alternatives sparingly - they often come seasoned, so you want to ensure they don't overpower the dish. If or when you add salt to boost flavor, do so cautiously and make sure you taste as you go. Remember you can always add more.
- Sesame seeds - substitute sesame seeds with onion seeds for an added flavor dimension. Toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds are also delicious as alternatives, just quickly fry in a dry frying pan over high heat, ensuring they're turned regularly for even toasting.
Variations
There are a few variations of this donburi recipe that we regularly serve at home, if just to cater to different tastes in the house.
- Spicy - Spice things up by sprinkling your donburi bowl with Shichimi Togarashi, for a subtle kick, or by sautéing a few birdseye chilies for a fierier taste. Drizzling Layu, a Japanese chili oil, over the top adds an extra layer of sesame-tinged heat that I personally really love.
- Toppings - While mushrooms and tofu are pretty standard as vegan toppings, there are certainly others to try or add on top of these! Soya mince gives a heartier, beef-like flavor. You can also explore different mushroom varieties such as portobello, shiitake, maitake, enoki, or chestnuts sautéed with onions and garlic. Top it off with a squeeze of tonkatsu mayo.
Storage
Donburi can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days, making it a convenient option for meal prep. For ease, divide the servings into microwave-safe containers. When you're ready to eat, simply reheat in the microwave until hot. If you prefer, you can also warm it up on the stove—just add a little water to the pan and heat everything thoroughly until it's steaming hot before serving.
Top tip
Pair your donburi bowl with Japanese tea or a chilled glass of beer. You can also enjoy it as part of a larger feast with miso soup, pan-fried gyoza, and an assortment of pickles 🥒 😋
FAQ
Donburi consists of a base, usually cooked rice, and toppings, usually protein, vegetables and some sauces or condiments. It's is a staple of Japanese cuisine, that offers a satisfying meal in a single oversized bowl or "don".
The rice typically served with Japanese donburi is short-grain white rice, known for its sticky texture when cooked. This variety of rice holds its shape well and provides a perfect base for absorbing the flavors of all the toppings and sauce. I personally prefer and will often use brown short-grain rice, but either way I do recommend short-grain varieties over long-grain ones for the texture.
Tofu, mushrooms and meat-free minces or meat "replacements" are my go-to's. You can serve these up in a tonne of different ways - tofu steaks, tofu katsu, fried or pickled mushrooms etc. Try a few things out and find the ways that you love to prepare and recreate these toppings for a vegan donburi bowl!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
Here are a few of my favorite recipes to serve with this donburi bowl:
Donburi Bowl with Mushrooms and Teriyaki Tofu
Ingredients
Rice:
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 cup water
- Pinch salt
Tofu and mushroom topping:
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 knob of ginger
- 2 tablespoon oil for frying
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 block (280g) tofu
- handful of shimeji mushrooms about 80g
- ¼ cup corn starch (cornflour or potato starch)
Quick teriyaki sauce:
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
Garnish:
- 1-2 Spring onions
- Sprinkle of sesame seeds
- 1 leaf of Shiso (if you can find it)
Instructions
- Combine rice and water in a saucepan, ensuring the rice is level.
- Heat on medium until simmering, then reduce to low and cook for 25-30 minutes.
- While rice cooks: Peel the ginger using a peeler or teaspoon.
- Mince the ginger by thinly slicing one way, then the other and then across the stalks again.
- Peel the garlic, then slice thinly across the cloves.
- Drain the tofu and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Trim the shimeji mushrooms and separate them, cleaning off any dirt.
- Thinly slice spring onions for garnish and set aside.
- In a bowl, coat the tofu cubes and mushrooms evenly with cornstarch.
- Mix soy sauce, mirin, and sugar to create a teriyaki-like sauce. Set aside.
- Heat oil and sesame oil in a pan over medium heat, and fry the cornstarch-coated tofu cubes and mushrooms until golden.
- Pour the teriyaki sauce over the tofu and mushrooms. Stir to combine and cook until the sauce is absorbed.
- Check the rice for tenderness. By now all the water should be absorbed.
- Plate up your rice in bowls and add your topping. Garnish with sesame, spring onions and radishes on the side.
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