Cook Halal Japanese with Inari-ku: Oyakodon!

Halal Japanese food in Singapore is not scarce but it is not easy to find places that serve authentic Halal Japanese cuisine. Commonly used ingredients in Japanese cooking often contain mirin and shoyu which have low levels of alcohol. Halal versions of mirin and shoyu are now more easily found with some brands opting for Halal certification and purchasing them is also more accessible which means we can now try our hand at cooking Halal Japanese cuisine at home! 

We interviewed Mdm Marhamah - the lady behind Inari-ku. Her story started 14 years ago when her son, back then 9, loved Oyakodon so much he would order it outside whenever available. Determined that she could recreate and even better the taste of Halal Oyakodon in Singapore, she started doing research and experimenting. She would even fly to Japan to learn from professional Japanese chefs on the correct techniques and ways of cooking which were then adapted to be Halal.

For the first Cook Halal series, Mdm Marhamah shares with us how to make Oyakodon. Oyokodon means Chicken and Egg Rice bowl and is a simple yet hearty dish most Japanese grow up with. Here's how to get started:

Oyakodon Recipe by Inari-ku

Ingredients:

• Rice
• 200g diced chicken
• 1 tbsp halal shoyu
• 1 tsp halal mirin-fu
• 1 tsp dashi powder
• Half a cup of water
• Half onion thinly sliced
• 1-2 eggs
• Spring onion
• Nori seaweed

Steps:

1. Pour some oil into a heated pan and add onions. Caramelise till slightly brown.
2. Add diced chicken and cook until even
3. Add halal shoyu, mirin, dashi powder, and water. Mix thoroughly.
4. Beat 1-2 eggs gently and be careful not to overbeat the eggs. Pour evenly over the pan. 
5. Put on low heat and cover with a lid. Let it simmer for a few minutes depending on how you like your eggs cooked. 
6. Scoop steaming white rice and pour egg and chicken mixture over rice. 
7. Garnish with spring onions and nori to your liking!

Cook Halal is a new cooking series where we interview online food business owners to learn more about their story and the secret to their most popular dishes. Stay tuned to find out what Inari-ku is going to share next!

Special thanks to @inariku.