Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups short-grain rice
• 2 cups water
• 4 pork cutlets, breaded by dipping each in one beaten egg, then fresh bread crumbs
• 1 small leek, sliced in ½-inch pieces
• 2 cups dashi stock
• 2/3 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• 4 eggs

Method

1. Pour the rice into a big bowl of water and scrub the grains against each other to remove all starch.
2. Strain the rice, then wash and rinse it well.
3. Drain.
4. Bring the rice and 2 cups of water to a boil, give it a quick stir, then cover, reduce to simmer, and cook for 10-15 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and let it steam for another 15 minutes.
6. Bring the dashi, mirin, and soy sauce to a boil, add the sliced leek, and simmer till soft.
7. Deep fry the pork cutlets till golden and tender.
8. Drain on paper towels.
9. Half fill four large bowls with the hot rice.
10. Slice each pork cutlet diagonally into ½-inch strips, and arrange each intact cutlet on the rice.
11. Whisk the eggs with chopsticks, then pour slowly into one spot over the onion into the dashi.
12. When the egg is nearly set, stir once.
13. Ladle a quarter of the egg mass on top of the four bowls, one by one.