Rice Bowls can be made thousands of ways, but these two are my favorite. Let’s see which one is better.

INGREDIENTS:

Donburi

Katsu:

• 4 boneless pork chops, 1” thick

• Salt to taste

• White Pepper to taste

• 1.5 cups (225g) of all-purpose flour

• 1 beaten egg + 1 tablespoon (15g) water

• 1.5 cups (80g) Panko breadcrumbs

Assembly:

• 1/4 cup (59ml) Dashi (1/2 cup (118ml) water, 1-inch square Kombu, 3 tbsp (2g) Bonito flakes)

• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon (15g) mirin

• 2.5 tablespoons (35g) shirodashi

• 1 tablespoon (12g) sake

• 1 tablespoon (15g) soy sauce

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 4 cups (780g) cooked rice

• 2 tablespoons (1g) bonito flakes

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Bibimbap

Pork Belly:

• 2 tablespoons (45g) gochujang

• 1 tablespoon (21g) of honey

• 1 tablespoon (15g) soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon (15g) rice vinegar

• 2 lbs (907g) raw pork belly, skinless, ½” planks

• 1 green onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Mushrooms:

• 1/2 lb (227g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

• 2 tablespoons (28g) vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon (15g) soy sauce

• Salt to taste

Garlic Spinach:

• 1 tablespoon (14g) vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon (14g) toasted sesame oil

• 3 cups (52g) fresh spinach

• 2 tablespoons (16g) toasted sesame seeds

• Salt to Taste

• 7 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Pickled Carrots:

• 3 large carrots, julienned

• 1 tablespoon (18g) salt

• 1 tablespoon (13g) sugar

• 1 cup (237ml) water

• 1 cup (237ml) rice vinegar

• 1 Red Fresno, finely diced

Spicy Cucumbers:

• 1 English Seedless cucumber, sliced into 1/2 inch coins

• Salt to taste

• 4 tablespoons (56g) vegetable oil

• 1 green onion, finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons (6g) Gochugaru

• 2 teaspoons (6g) toasted sesame seeds

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon (15g) soy sauce

• 2 teaspoons (10g) rice vinegar

• 1 teaspoon (5g) MSG

INSTRUCTIONS:

Donburi

Katsu:

1. Breading station: in three separate medium-sized bowls, add flour, egg, and panko crumbs.

2. Season your pork chops with salt, then coat them with flour, shake off the excess, dip them in the egg mixture, fully covered (no dry spots), and dip them into the panko pressing down to coat thoroughly. Place them on a sheet tray to the side.

3. Fill up a heavy bottom pot just over halfway with vegetable oil. Heat to 350F, then fry your pork chops, two at a time to avoid overcrowding, for 4 - 6 minutes or until crispy, golden brown, and the internal temperature reads 165F, remove with a spider and drain on a sheet tray with a wired rack. Season with salt immediately.

Assembly:

1. Dashi - In a saucepan, over medium heat, add water, kombu, and bonito flakes; bring it to a simmer and cut off the heat. Steep for 15 min, pass it through a fine mesh strainer, and reserve the liquid.

2. Set a nonstick pan over medium-high. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan; once hot, add onion, saute for one minute, cover with a lid, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 - 3 minutes.

3. Then add your dashi, mirin, shirodashi, sake, and soy sauce; stir, bring to a boil and reduce the mixture by half, about 3 minutes.

4. Slice 2 pieces of your katsu into 1/2 “ thick sliced, add it into your simmering pan, pour your eggs all over the onions, cover with a lid and let it cook for 1 - 2 minutes or until the egg is cooked.

5. In a large bowl, add cooked rice, followed by your Katsudon, and a nice layer of green onion.

Bibimbap

Pork Belly:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. In a small bowl, add Gochujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and green onions: mix to combine. Add your pork, mix to combine, and let it marinate for 15 minutes.

2. Set your pork pieces on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil over a wire rack, and place in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until cooked through, crisp, and lightly charred. Set to the side and keep warm.

Mushrooms:

1. Set a nonstick pan over medium-high. Add vegetable oil; once hot, add mushrooms, stirring often, for about 4 minutes. Cut off the heat and add soy sauce. Reserve and keep warm.

Garlic Spinach:

1. Set a nonstick pan over medium-high. Add vegetable oil and sesame oil; once hot, add spinach and cook, stirring until the spinach gets wilted. Cut off the heat, add garlic and stir to incorporate.

2. Reserved and keep warm.

Pickled Carrots:

1. Place your carrots in a heat-proof container (1-quart container). In a medium saucepan, over medium-high, add salt, sugar, water, rice vinegar, and Fresno pepper; once it boils, pour over your carrots to submerge completely.

2. Let it sit at room temperature until cool.

Spicy Cucumbers:

1. In a medium-size bowl, add cucumbers, season generously with salt, and let them sit for 15 minutes. Drain the excess water, rinse with fresh water, and drain.

2. In a small saucepan, add vegetable oil, heat to 300F, and cut off the heat. In a separate bowl, add green onion, Gochugaru, sesame seeds, garlic soy sauce, rice vinegar, and MSG and mix till combined. Stir in your hot oil and let it sit for 5 minutes.

3. Add your cucumbers and toss to coat them.

Assembly:

1. In a medium-size bowl, add cooked rice, then place a fried egg in the middle, a few slices of your pork belly, then some cucumbers, followed by some pickled carrots, mushrooms, and spinach.