Japanese Chicken-Scallion Rice Bowl

[b-man]

Japanese Chicken-Scallion Rice Bowl

In Japan, this hearty, healthy rice dish is a popular form of comfort food at home and in restaurants.

Ingredients:

1 cup short-grain brown rice or 1 1/2 cups instant brown rice
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin (see Ingredient Note)
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1Ú2-inch pieces
6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1. Place short-grain brown rice in a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove starch. Combine the rice with 2 1/2 cups cold water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until all the water has been absorbed, 40 minutes. Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. (Alternatively, prepare instant brown rice according to package directions.)

2. While the rice is resting, pour broth into a heavy medium saucepan, along with sugar, soy sauce and mirin. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low.

3. Stir egg whites and whole egg in a small bowl until just mixed. Add chicken to the simmering broth. Gently pour in the egg mixture, without stirring. Sprinkle scallions on top. When the egg starts to firm up, after about 3 minutes, stir it with chopsticks or a knife. (The chicken will be cooked by now.) Divide the rice among 4 deep soup bowls and top with the chicken mixture.

Makes 4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each.

Per serving: 305 calories; 3 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 87 mg cholesterol; 45 g carbohydrate; 22 g protein; 3 g fiber; 379 mg sodium

Ingredient note: Mirin is a low-alcohol rice wine essential to Japanese cooking. Look for it in your supermarket with the Asian or gourmet ingredients. An equal portion of sherry or white wine with a pinch of sugar may be substituted for mirin.


B-man