Donburi

What does «donburi» mean?

丼 (donburi) literally means «bowl» – a large, deep ceramic bowl, often with a lid. In everyday use the word covers whatever is served in it: rice at the bottom and a main topping that gives the dish its name. In compounds it shrinks to «-don», as in ten-don (with tempura) or una-don (with eel).

What makes a donburi is the way the sauce and juices of the topping soak into the rice. The whole bowl becomes a meal in itself – quick, filling and easy to eat with chopsticks or a spoon.

Origins

One of the earliest donburi is thought to be unadon – grilled eel with a sweet glaze on rice – which appeared in the late Edo period at the beginning of the 19th century. Gyudon, oyakodon and katsudon followed later. Today donburi is one of Japan’s most common lunches, served everywhere from station kiosks to specialist chains.

The best-known donburi

Gyudon: thinly sliced beef and onion simmered in a sweet-savoury broth. Oyakodon: chicken and egg – the name means «parent and child». Katsudon: a breaded pork cutlet with egg. Tendon: tempura with sauce. Kaisendon: assorted seafood and raw fish. Tekkadon: tuna sashimi on sushi rice.

Zukedon (or zuke-don) is a donburi with marinated fish. «Zuke» means to steep: the raw fish rests briefly in a soy-based marinade, which seasons it and gives it a silky, slightly firmer texture. The technique dates back to the Edo period, when it was used to keep tuna fresh for longer.

Donburi vs poke vs bibimbap

All three are rice bowls with toppings, but the idea behind them differs. Poke comes from Hawaii and is built around raw, cubed fish with lots of cold toppings. Korean bibimbap is mixed thoroughly before eating, often with gochujang. With Japanese donburi the topping stays on top and you eat your way down layer by layer.