Japanese Vegan Donburi

Donburi, is often shortened as "don," when the name of the topping is used in front such as Katsu don. Donburi is a popular Japanese dish that consists of a bowl of rice topped with various ingredients. The word "donburi" refers to the bowl, while the dish itself is often named after the main ingredient that is served on top of the rice. Donburi dishes are known for their comforting flavours and filling portions, and they are commonly eaten as a quick and satisfying one-bowl meal in Japan. Some common types of donburi include gyudon, made with thinly sliced teriyaki flavoured beef and katsudon featuring deep fried breaded pork cutlets also known as tonkatsu.

The donburi I have created for the Cookaway is a vegan miso tofu soboro donburi. ‘Soboro’ means crumbled in Japanese and this dish is made with delicious, crumbled tofu coated in an umami miso sauce. The dish is also packed full of fresh veggies, and I’ve included some locally grown British vegetables like leeks, samphire, and aubergine. Samphire has a distinct sea salt like flavour and a crisp succulent texture. It’s important to cook the rice properly to appreciate the flavour and quality of the toppings. This is one of my all-time favourite donburi dishes and I’m proud to have created this version which is vegan yet rich and full of umami flavours.