Donburi.

Donburi.
It means a bowl, for a meal,  a bowl of rice with some toppings in Japan.
I think it is one of popular food item in Japan, like ramen.
The most important part of Donburi is the sauce. Many of dounburi sauces are made with dashi stock, Mirin (soy sauce) and soy sauce. Sometimes just use soy sauce.
This time..I made barsamic reduction with soy sauce for the donburi sauce.
The idea of Barsamic vingegar with soy sauce was popular in early to mid 2000, if my memory was correct.
Sounds like missing match but actually.. nice. Sweetness of vinegar and punchy acidity from the barsamic are perfect fit with soy sauce.
Sounds like the last post, adobo? Adobo needs milder acidity. Reduced Barsamic is round but sharp, it has depth of flavor.

Let’s talk about rice.
Cooking perfect white rice with a pot is a bit tricky if you are not used to, so I made grain rice for this recipe - brown rice with barley, buckwheat groats.

-Ingredients: for one serving, the grains would be for 3 -
<for the topping>
Frozen edamame, if you could find without pod..1/2 cup
Tofu, 2 inch long, 1/4 inch thick for pan frying.
Vegetables for roast, slice & line with drizzling olive oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
The vegetables are as you like..
I used zucchini, rainbow carrots, aaasparagus. I’d recommend Kabocha squash, red peppers, mushroom, cauliflower, etc.
Frying oil, salt, pepper
<sauce>
Barsamic vinegar 1 cup
Soy sauce 3Tbsp

<grains>
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup buckwheat
1/2 cup brown rice

<general info>

*soak them over night works faster to cook, overall, need to soak them at least 2 hours.
*equipment for the cooking grains: A deep pot, it’s the best because it boils over easily.
​

-method-
Make the sauce.
Put balsamic vinegar in a pot and heat it up until it is boiling.
Change the heat as low, and reduce until it reached half amount, then add soy sauce.If you like sweeter taste, go ahead to add sugar.

Cook grains.
Wash grains together and put them in a pot.
Add water. Measure the water level as your first finger line when you put your pointing finger the top of grains. I don’t know who told me, but this works for all kinds of grains.
Put the pot on the heat. Medium high with a lid. Watch out boiling over.
In the mean time, roast vegetables with olive oil and salt and pepper with a oven (around 450F, 20 min).
When it reached the boiling point, change the heat to medium low heat and get the lid slight off to evaporate the steam.
After about 20 min, check the pot, if there is no liquid, change the heat as low, simmer down for 10 minutes. You might think this is done but this is the Japanese trick..steaming. Put the lid back on completely close, then steam 5-7 min.
Finally, the grains have been cooked.
​

Fry the edamame beans with oil, salt and pepper. Just fry them quickly with high heat and set aside. Fry the sliced tofu as your doneness.
Put the grains in a bowl, then put edamame on, then sauce lightly on top, vegetables and tofu,sauce again as your good amount.
​Bon appetite.