Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
300g short grain sushi rice, such as Koshihikari
4 eggs
Vegetable oil
PICKLED CARROTS
½ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 carrots
SOY CHICKEN
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500g chicken thighs
1 spring onion, finely chopped
COCHUJANG CHILLI SAUCE
2 tablespoons gochujang chilli paste (see tip)
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds (black, white or mixed)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
GARLIC ZUCCHINI
2 zucchini
1 clove garlic, crushed
SESAME SPINACH
2 bunches English spinach, stalks removed
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1½ teaspoons sesame oil
½ teaspoon sesame seeds
METHOD
- Cook rice in a rice cooker, or according to packet instructions. Get all other ingredients to hand, so they can be prepared quickly.
- While rice is cooking, make pickled carrots. Place rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Transfer to a medium heatproof bowl. Shred carrots. Add to pickling liquid, toss and set aside.
- Marinate the chicken. Combine soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and garlic in a shallow dish. Cut chicken thighs in half and add. Toss and set aside to marinate.
- Combine gochujang chilli sauce ingredients in a small serving dish with 1-2 tablespoons of water. Then cut zucchini into 5cm long matchsticks.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side for until cooked through. Cut into 1cm slices, place in a bowl and combine with the spring onion. Keep warm. Wipe pan.
- While chicken is cooking, rinse the spinach under cold water to remove dirt and place in a large saucepan with just the water that is clinging to the leaves. Cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan regularly. Drain in a sieve. Roughly chop then combine in a bowl with remaining spinach ingredients.
- To prepare zucchini, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the frypan over medium heat and fry garlic for 30 seconds. Add zucchini and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Wipe pan.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the frypan over medium-high heat and fry the eggs, ensuring yolks are runny. Drain on paper towel.
- To serve, divide rice between 4 wide bowls and arrange the ingredients (except eggs) in small, neat piles on top. Top with an egg and serve the gochujang sauce on the side. To eat, add a splash of sauce, break the egg yolk and mix into remaining ingredients
TIP: gochujang chilli paste/sauce is available from Asian grocers and some supermarkets.