📝 About This Recipe
Chukadon is a beloved Japanese 'Wafu-Chinese' classic that marries the bold flavors of a Cantonese stir-fry with the comforting soul of a Japanese donburi. This dish features a colorful medley of crisp vegetables, succulent pork, and fresh seafood, all enveloped in a luscious, glossy ginger-soy gravy that seeps into a bed of fluffy white rice. It is the perfect one-bowl meal that offers a symphony of textures and a deep, savory satisfaction in every spoonful.
🥗 Ingredients
Proteins
- 100 grams Pork belly or shoulder (thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces)
- 6 pieces Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 4-6 pieces Quail eggs (boiled and peeled (canned is fine))
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 3-4 large leaves Napa cabbage (cut into 2-inch pieces, whites and greens separated)
- 1/4 piece Carrot (peeled and thinly sliced into decorative rounds or batons)
- 6-8 pieces Snow peas (stringed)
- 2-3 pieces Wood ear mushrooms (rehydrated and sliced)
- 50 grams Bamboo shoots (sliced (boiled/canned))
- 1 teaspoon Fresh ginger (finely minced)
- 1 clove Garlic (finely minced)
The Sauce Base
- 1.5 cups Chicken stock (unsalted or low-sodium)
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce (Japanese shoyu)
- 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce (for depth and richness)
- 1 tablespoon Sake (Japanese rice wine)
- 1/2 teaspoon Sugar (to balance the salt)
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil (for the finishing aroma)
Thickener and Base
- 1.5 tablespoons Potato starch or Cornstarch (mixed with 1.5 tbsp water to create a slurry)
- 2 bowls Steamed Japanese short-grain rice (hot and fluffy)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare all your ingredients before starting the heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sake, and sugar. Set this sauce mixture aside.
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2
In a separate small ramekin, mix the potato starch and water to create your slurry. Stir it well just before using as the starch settles quickly.
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3
Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced ginger and garlic, sautéing for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
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4
Add the sliced pork belly to the wok. Stir-fry until the pork is no longer pink and the edges just begin to crisp slightly.
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5
Toss in the shrimp and cook for 1 minute until they start to turn pink. Remove the shrimp and pork from the pan temporarily if you are worried about overcooking them, or simply proceed quickly.
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6
Add the carrots, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and the white, crunchy parts of the napa cabbage. Stir-fry for 2 minutes to soften the tougher vegetables.
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7
Add the green leafy parts of the napa cabbage and the snow peas. Toss for another 30-45 seconds until the greens begin to wilt.
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8
Pour the sauce mixture into the wok. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium heat.
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9
Add the boiled quail eggs back into the pan. Let everything simmer together for 2-3 minutes so the flavors meld and the vegetables reach a tender-crisp consistency.
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10
Give your starch slurry a final stir and slowly pour it into the simmering sauce while stirring the wok constantly. This prevents clumps and ensures a silky texture.
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11
Continue to cook for 1 minute as the sauce thickens into a glossy, translucent glaze that coats all the ingredients.
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12
Turn off the heat and drizzle the sesame oil over the top for a final punch of toasted aroma. Give it one last gentle toss.
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13
Divide the hot steamed rice into two large deep bowls. Generously ladle the meat, seafood, and vegetable mixture along with plenty of the thick gravy over the rice.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always separate the napa cabbage into whites and greens; the whites take longer to cook and need that extra time in the pan. For the most authentic look, use a 'decorating cut' on your carrots or use a small flower-shaped vegetable cutter. Don't skip the starch slurry; the thick, glossy sauce is what defines Chukadon and keeps the rice from getting soggy too quickly. If you don't have quail eggs, a hard-boiled chicken egg cut in half works, but the bite-sized quail eggs are traditional and charming. Feel free to swap proteins—squid rings or scallops are fantastic additions for a more 'seafood-forward' version.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of hot Chinese mustard (Karashi) for a spicy kick that cuts through the richness. A simple Japanese cucumber salad (Sunomono) provides a refreshing, acidic contrast to the savory gravy. Pair with a light, clear egg drop soup or a simple miso soup. A cold glass of Oolong tea or a crisp Japanese lager complements the ginger and soy notes perfectly. Offer a small bottle of rice vinegar on the side; a few drops stirred in halfway through eating brightens the whole dish.