What chilli can I add to Asian rice bowls?

I like the subtle heat of gochujang, but you can use sambal oelek or any other chilli.

What pickles can I add to Asian rice bowls?

You don’t need both pickled mustard greens and kimchi, just double the quantity of either one, use another Asian pickle, or leave them out altogether.

How do you make fried shallots? How do you deep-fry shallots?

Deep-fried shallots add great crunch, freshly made are best but commercial ones are a handy stand-by (check the best-before-date as they do go rancid, and store them in the fridge). To make deep-fried shallots: finely slice red shallots and deep-fry in vegetable oil until crisp and golden. The oil should be hot enough that they don’t go soggy but not too hot, as they need to cook for a few minutes to get an even golden colour; stir regularly so steam can escape and they stay crisp. Refrigerate leftovers for a week or two. See step-by-step video here.

What meat or seafood can I add to Asian rice bowls?

Add flaked smoked rainbow trout or shredded poached chicken instead of the fried egg if you like.

Asian Rice Bowl

Name: Seasoned Asian Rice with Deep-fried Egg
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 320g jasmine rice; 12 grape tomatoes, quartered; 1 tablespoon gochujang chilli paste; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 2 teaspoons sesame oil; 2 tablespoons sliced Chinese pickled mustard greens; 2 tablespoons sliced kimchi; ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 eggs; 4 green onions, finely sliced; ⅓ cup deep-fried shallots; 1 teaspoon nori komi furikake rice seasoning

We always want to eat well, but don’t always want to spend hours in a hot kitchen. That’s when throw-together-dishes like this Asian rice bowl are welcome, using whatever’s on hand. This recipe for seasoned Asian rice topped with a fried egg came about one evening when Muriel Chen from Blue Eye Dragon Taiwanese Restaurant gave me some pickled vegetables and deep-fried shallots that her mum, Jade, had made. Asian rice bowls are more a concept than a recipe and as long as you have a few Asian staples in the pantry and fridge you can make your own version; skip the egg for a vegan version or add some leftover seafood, meat or poultry to bulk it up. See the notes below for suggested variations and descriptions of the more unusual Asian rice bowl ingredients. You’ll find gochujang (Korean chilli paste), pickled mustard greens, fried shallots and furikake rice seasoning at Asian grocers and some delis; also kimchi, Korean fermented cabbage, or you could make your own (see video below). I really enjoy a glass of vermentino with Asian rice bowls, especially the one from Victorian winery Billy Button, it has enough body to handle the Asian flavours while being bone dry on the finish.

Serves 2

Ingredients

320g jasmine rice
12 grape tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon gochujang chilli paste (see below)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons sliced Chinese pickled mustard greens (see below)
2 tablespoons sliced kimchi (see below)
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs
4 green onions, finely sliced
⅓ cup deep-fried shallots (see below)
1 teaspoon nori komi furikake rice seasoning (see below)

Method

Steam rice in a rice cooker or according to packet instructions.
Meanwhile, place tomatoes in the bottom of 2 serving bowls.
Divide the chilli paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, pickled mustard greens and kimchi between the bowls.
When rice is cooked, heat oil in a small saucepan until quite hot.
Meanwhile, divide rice between the bowls.
Add 1 egg at a time to the oil and cook until white is set, carefully spooning some oil over the yolk to just encase it. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked egg to the top of the rice.
When both eggs are cooked, drizzle the oil over the eggs and rice.
Top with green onion, deep-fried shallots and furikake and serve.
Mix your Asian rice bowl well before eating.

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How To Make Quick Kimchi

Asian Rice Bowl Variations

Chilli

I like the subtle heat of Korean spice paste, gochujang, in an Asian rice bowl. But you can use sambal oelek, sambal goreng or any other chilli.

Pickles

You don’t need both pickled mustard greens and kimchi for your Asian rice bowl, just double the quantity of either one. You could also use Vietnamese pickles, acar or any other Asian pickle, or leave them out altogether.

Deep-fried Shallots

Deep-fried shallots add great crunch to an Asian rice bowl. Freshly made are best but commercial ones are a handy stand-by (check the best-before-date as they do go rancid, and store them in the fridge). Learn how to make crispy fried shallots here.

Furikake

Furikake is a Japanese rice seasoning made from dried seaweed and sesame seeds, some versions also contain dried bonito so read the label. Once you have furikake in the fridge (the best place to store it) you’ll put it on everything, not just Asian rice bowls.