Niratama Donburi (Japanese Eggs with Garlic Chives over Rice)

A recipe for Niratama Donburi (Japanese Eggs with Garlic Chives over Rice)! Garlic chives are sautéed until vibrant, then tossed with an egg mixture until light and fluffy.

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I first came across this recipe for Niratama Donburi (ニラ玉丼ぶり) on Just One Cookbook and it has quickly become a new favorite way of using up extra garlic chives from my backyard.

Pieces of garlic chives are sautéed in a large pan until a vibrant green color and all the moisture has evaporated.

Eggs lightly seasoned with sake, soy sauce, salt, and pepper are poured in and the mixture is cooked until the eggs are barely set with a light and fluffy texture.

The eggs are served immediately over a bed of steamed white rice for an easy and flavorful lunch. 

Notable Ingredients

Garlic Chives (Nira, Chinese Chives) are group of chives with a mild onion and garlic flavor. The leaves are larger and more flat than the Western variety and have delicate white flowers.

I grew a few plants from seeds, but they are also available in markets with East Asian ingredients and some larger grocery stores (often sold in bundles). Take care when growing them as the plants can easily spread. I often use garlic chives in place of other types of chives for an extra boost of flavor. 

I like the idea from No Recipes to include a little potato starch to help absorb any excess moisture from the chives and create a better texture. 

Katakuriko (potato starch) is available in larger grocery stores in the gluten free or specialty flour sections and markets with Japanese ingredients. It is also available on Amazon: Katakuriko.

A Few Tips

I usually cut the garlic chives into 1 inch (2.5 centimeter) pieces to help easily toss them with the egg. Cut smaller or larger based on personal taste. 

After cooking the garlic chives, add a little more oil if needed to keep the eggs from sticking.

Scramble the eggs just until set, but still soft. Overcooking will cause them to toughen. While I often scramble the eggs after adding them to the pan, I will occasionally leave the mixture alone and flip to cook each side just until set to form an omelet.

Want to include meat in the meal? I have come across a few recipes that add a few pieces of cooked, thinly sliced pork belly. 

Looking for more Japanese recipes?

Try my:

• Japanese Coffee Jelly
• Kofuki Imo (Japanese Powdered Potatoes)
• Yaki Udon (Japanese Stir-Fried Udon Noodles)

Niratama Donburi (Japanese Eggs with Garlic Chives over Rice) Recipe

Adapted from Just One Cookbook and No Recipes

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Niratama Donburi

A recipe for Niratama Donburi (Japanese Eggs with Garlic Chives over Rice)! Garlic chives are sautéed until vibrant, then tossed with an egg mixture until light and fluffy. 

Course Main

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword chive, egg, Japan, Japanese, rice

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 2 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons potato starch
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) water or dashi
• 1 teaspoon sake
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) vegetable oil divided
• 2 ounces (57 grams) garlic chives cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 cups steamed rice

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the potato starch and water or dashi.
• Beat in the sake, soy sauce, salt, and pepper, followed by the eggs.
• In a large wok or pan, drizzle 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) oil over medium high heat.
• Add the garlic chives and cook, stirring constantly, until they turn a vibrant green color and the moisture has evaporated, about 3 minutes.
• If needed, add the remaining oil and pour in the egg mixture. Cook for a minute to set before gently folding to scramble or leave intact to create an omelet before flipping to cook the other side.
• Divide the steamed between two serving bowls. Once the eggs are barely set, transfer to place over the rice. Serve immediately.