Awabi Don with Egg

By Kittipat Esposito for Ocean Road Abalone

Simple, soulful, and deeply satisfying, Awabi Don, a Japanese-style abalone rice bowl with soft-cooked egg is the kind of meal that nourishes from the inside out. Made with Ocean Road Abalone’s ready-to-eat retort abalone, this comforting dish layers delicate ocean flavour with umami-rich broth and silky egg, all served over warm steamed rice.

It’s a dish you can pull together in under 30 minutes, yet it feels like something much more special, perfect for slow evenings, quiet lunches, or those times when you want a meal that feels like a warm hug in a bowl.

Why you'll love this recipe 

• Fast and Comforting: Ready in under 30 minutes, it's an ideal choice for weeknights when you need something hearty, but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
• Flavourful Simplicity: Delicate abalone, soy, dashi, and mirin bring out clean, savoury notes, balanced perfectly with soft-cooked egg and fluffy rice.
• Everyday Elegance: The kind of dish that feels like a quiet indulgence, impressive, but low-fuss and soothing.

Serves: 2
Allergens: Contains Soy, Egg

Ingredients

Main Dish: 4 Retort abalones, sliced  (5 or 6 piece 200g Retort Abalone) ½ Brown onion, sliced 3 Eggs, beaten 160g Rice, short grain or sushi rice 2 tbsp Soy, gf (Yamasa brand) 2 tbsp Mirin (Daiwa Food) 2 tbsp Sake, cooking wine (Daiwa Food) 1 tbsp Raw sugar 1/8 tsp Cooking salt 60ml Water

Garnishes: (optional) Pickled ginger Shredded spring onion Shredded nori (toasted seaweed)

 

Tips for Success Don’t overcook the egg: The magic of this dish is in the soft, custardy texture. Watch carefully to avoid it becoming rubbery. Use good rice: Fresh, hot, short-grain Japanese rice makes all the difference for the perfect donburi experience. Stock swap: If you don’t have dashi on hand, a light chicken or vegetable broth can be used in a pinch, but dashi adds the most authentic flavour.

Serving Suggestions This dish is delicious as a standalone meal but pairs beautifully with simple sides like: Blanched green beans with sesame dressing. A cold cucumber salad with rice vinegar. Pickled daikon or ginger for contrast.

Method

Step 1: Prepare the Rice
Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well. Add the rice to a rice cooker with 230ml of water and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until tender and fluffy. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Step 2: Prepare the Sauce Base
In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, raw sugar, salt, and water. Place over medium heat and stir gently until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 3: Cook the First Portion
In a separate saucepan, pour in half of the prepared sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Add half the sliced onion and cook until the onion is tender and translucent, and the sauce has reduced slightly.
Add half of the sliced abalone, followed by half of the beaten egg. Stir gently to distribute the egg and cook until it is softly set, ensuring the texture remains light and silky.

Step 4: Assemble the First Donburi
Spoon half of the cooked rice into a serving bowl. Carefully ladle the abalone and egg mixture over the rice. Garnish with pickled ginger, shredded spring onion, and nori as desired.

Step 5: Repeat for Second Serve
Repeat steps 3 and 4 using the remaining ingredients and sauce to prepare the second bowl.

About the author

Kittipat Esposito is a culinary talent known for her vibrant use of flavours and colours, bringing adventurous catering to life in southwest Victoria, near our Port Fairy farm. Kittipat grew up in a Chinese-Thai family deeply rooted in the hospitality industry in central Thailand, and fortunately for us, enjoys working with abalone, incorporating other locally grown produce, as well as a wide range of Asian ingredients. Kittipat also delights with European cuisine, especially French and Italian, drawing on both tradition and creativity for dishes that are as visually striking as they are delicious. Her cakes are amazing too!

Find us on Facebook or Instagram to share your adventures with abalone or tag us @oceanroadabalone.