Name: How to Make Chukadon (Chinese-Style Rice Bowl Recipe)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 9 small shrimp (shelled and deveined); 6 quail eggs (boiled and shelled); 90g sliced pork belly; 120g Chinese cabbage; 30g carrot (peeled); 50g shiitake mushroom; 30g wood ear mushroom (fresh); 50g bok choy; 2 tsp sesame oil; 1.5 Tbsp cooking sake (for the seasoning); 1 tsp soy sauce (for the seasoning); 1 tsp sugar (for the seasoning); 1 tsp powdered chicken soup stock (for the seasoning); 1 tsp oyster sauce (for the seasoning); 300ml water (for the seasoning); salt as needed (for the seasoning); 2 tsp potato starch (for thickening the sauce); 1 Tbsp water (for thickening the sauce); 600g steamed rice (for thickening the sauce)

How to Make Chukadon (Chinese-Style Rice Bowl)

Under 20 Minutes Easy Chukadon Donburi Good for Sharing Chinese

Chukadon is a Japanese take on a Chinese classic, featuring a variety of ingredients like meat, seafood, and vegetables, simmered in a thick, savory sauce and served over rice. It’s a great choice for busy days, offering a satisfying mix of flavors in one bowl.

The dish originated from the Chinese recipe "happosai," where meat, seafood, and vegetables are seasoned and coated with a rich sauce. Around the beginning of the Showa period, the Japanese adapted it by serving happosai over steamed rice in a single bowl, calling it "chukadon," meaning "Chinese-style donburi" in Japanese.

Though the combination of ingredients can vary, chukadon typically includes pork, seafood like shrimp and squid, vegetables such as carrots, Chinese cabbage, and wood ear mushrooms, and boiled quail eggs. You can also customize it with other ingredients like young corn, green peppers, shiitake mushrooms, or bamboo shoots.

The seasoning for chukadon is simple—salt, soy sauce, and chicken stock create a mild, balanced flavor, with oyster sauce often added for depth. Each ingredient brings its own unique umami flavor to the dish.

What sets chukadon apart is the thick, glossy sauce called "an" in Japanese, made from a potato starch mixture. This sauce coats the ingredients beautifully, adding a satisfying texture. It’s perfect not just for donburi, but also for dishes like ankake yakisoba, stir-fried noodles with a rich sauce.

The best part? Chukadon can be made in under 30 minutes! Whether you're new to Japanese cuisine or a seasoned fan, give this comforting, flavorful dish a try! It’s sure to impress with its bold flavors and satisfying textures, perfect for a quick, hearty meal.

Overview

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Total servings: 3

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

9 small shrimp (shelled and deveined)
6 quail eggs (boiled and shelled)
90g sliced pork belly
120g Chinese cabbage
30g carrot (peeled)
50g shiitake mushroom
30g wood ear mushroom (fresh)
50g bok choy
2 tsp sesame oil
1.5 Tbsp cooking sake (for the seasoning)
1 tsp soy sauce (for the seasoning)
1 tsp sugar (for the seasoning)
1 tsp powdered chicken soup stock (for the seasoning)
1 tsp oyster sauce (for the seasoning)
300ml water (for the seasoning)
salt as needed (for the seasoning)
2 tsp potato starch (for thickening the sauce)
1 Tbsp water (for thickening the sauce)
600g steamed rice (for thickening the sauce)

Expert's Tip

How to Make Chukadon (Chinese-Style Rice Bowl Recipe)

In my recipe, I used fresh wood ear mushrooms, but here’s a convenient alternative: dried wood ear mushrooms. These can easily be stored in your pantry, making them a great option for when you’re low on fresh ingredients.

Despite being dried, they retain their distinctive texture, offering a satisfying crunch with a slight chewiness.

Dried wood ear mushrooms are perfect not only for chukadon, but also for ramen and a variety of stir-fried dishes, adding both flavor and texture to any meal. So, if you're looking for an easy pantry staple, dried wood ear mushrooms are a fantastic choice!

Instructions

1) Gather the Ingredients

Collect the ingredients such as shrimp, quail eggs , sliced pork belly, Chinese cabbage, carrot, shiitake mushroom, wood ear mushroom, bok choy, sesame oil, cooking sake, soy sauce, sugar, powdered chicken soup stock, oyster sauce, water, salt as needed, potato starch, and steamed rice.

2) Prepare the Seasoning Mixture

In a small bowl, combine cooking sake, soy sauce, sugar, powdered chicken stock, water, and oyster sauce. Mix well until dissolved.

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3) Cut the Ingredients

For the carrot: Slice thinly.
For shiitake mushrooms: Remove the firm tips, then separate the stem from the cap. Cut the stems vertically in half, then slice the cap thinly.
For wood ear mushrooms: Remove the firm tips and cut into bite-sized pieces.
For bok choy: Cut into 3cm lengths.
For Chinese cabbage: Cut into bite-sized pieces at a 45-degree angle.
For sliced pork belly: Cut into 4cm lengths.

Once all ingredients are cut, separate them into two groups:

Soft ingredients: Leaves of Chinese cabbage and bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms.
Firm ingredients: Carrots and the stems of Chinese cabbage and bok choy.

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4) Stir-Fry the Ingredients

Add sesame oil to a frying pan and heat over medium heat. Add the shrimp and sliced pork belly, then stir-fry them with a pinch of salt until they are about 80% cooked.

Next, add the firmer vegetables and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. After that, add the softer vegetables and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes.

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5) Add the Seasoning Mixture

Add the seasoning mixture (from step 2) to the frying pan and bring it to a boil. In the meantime, prepare a small bowl and combine the potato starch and water. Stir until well mixed.

the seasoning mixture is boiling, stir the potato starch mixture well again and add it to the soup little by little. At the same time, stir from the bottom to avoid lumps.

Once the sauce has thickened evenly, adjust the flavor with a pinch of salt if desired. Then, add the quail eggs and gently stir to combine.

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6) Serve and Enjoy!

Prepare the donburi bowl and add the steamed rice. Then, pour the sauce (from step 5) on top of the rice. Enjoy your chukadon!

About the author

Megumi Moriya

Megumi is a recipe writer based in Chiba, Japan. She carries a Bachelor in the Faculty of Foreign Studies and is interested in creating content about Japanese cuisine and traditional confectioneries. Megumi is most interested in making Japanese recipe content, and in her free time, she likes to play the piano, make handcrafted goods, and hula dance. She hopes to inspire Japanese Taste readers to make Japanese recipes at home and of course share more about Japanese culture.

View articles by Megumi Moriya