Chukadon (Chinese-Style Rice Bowl) 中華丼

• Before You Start: Gather all the ingredients. For the steamed rice, please note that 2¼ cups (450 g, 3 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 6⅔ cups (990 g) of cooked rice, enough for 3 donburi servings (5 cups, 750 g). See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
  

To Prepare the Vegetables

• In a small bowl, soak 4 dried wood ear mushrooms in water for 15 minutes to rehydrate, then cut them into smaller pieces. If you have time, soak them for 6 hours; they‘ll be close to fresh wood ear mushrooms.
  
• Cut ½ carrot into 2-inch (5-cm) lengths and slice them into thin slabs. If any slabs are too wide, cut them in half to get bite-sized pieces.
  
• Cut and discard the bottom end of 1 Shanghai bok choy. Then, cut it into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces. Wash the bok choy again if you find dirt between the layers. Keep the dense bottom and leafy pieces in two separate piles.
  
• Cut 2 leaves napa cabbage into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces widthwise. Then, cut them into bite-size pieces. Keep the dense bottom and leafy pieces in two separate piles.
  
• Cut ¼ piece boiled bamboo shoot in half widthwise and cut into thin slices. The key to a great stir-fry is to have ingredients that are uniform in shape and thickness.
  
• Remove the stem of 1 shiitake mushroom and cut the cap into thin slices.
  
• Prepare all the ingredients on a tray/plate so it‘s easy to add them to the wok when you start stir-frying.
  

To Prepare the Shrimp and Pork

• Remove and discard the shells of 6 shrimp. Using a knife, cut along the outer edge of the shrimp’s back, about ¼-inch (6-mm) deep. If you can find it, remove and discard the vein that runs right under the surface. For step-by-step photos, see my post How to Devein Shrimp. If you can’t see the vein, don’t worry.
  
• In a medium bowl, add the deveined shrimp, 6 oz sliced pork belly, 1 Tbsp sake, ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and 2 tsp potato starch or cornstarch. Rub the meat and shrimp with the seasonings.
  
• In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch and 2 Tbsp water and mix well together. You will need to mix it again right before pouring.
  

To Stir-Fry

• Heat the wok (or large frying pan) on medium high. When it’s hot, add 1 Tbsp oil and wait until the smoke starts to rise from the edge of the pan. Then, add the shrimp and pork to the wok.
  
• Spread out the pork and shrimp so they have good contact with the hot wok surface. Cook until the pork is no longer pink and the shrimp changes color.
  
• Transfer the pork and shrimp to a plate. Next, add 1 Tbsp oil to the wok/pan and heat until hot.
  
• Add the thick or dense vegetables—the sliced carrots, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and bottom parts of the napa cabbage and bok choy. Stir-fry until 50% cooked through.
  
• Add the leafy vegetables and shiitake mushrooms. Quickly stir-fry, about 1–2 minutes.
  
• Add 1 cup chicken stock/broth and ½ cup water to the hot wok.
  
• Add ½ tsp sugar and 1 Tbsp sake and toss all together. Bring it back to a simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes.
  
• When all the ingredients are nicely tender but still crisp, add the pork and shrimp back to the wok and toss them all together.
  
• Add 1½ Tbsp oyster sauce and 1½ Tbsp soy sauce and combine well with the ingredients.
  
• Add ⅛ tsp white pepper powder and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil.
  
• Give the slurry another stir to loosen it up. With a fast motion, drizzle the slurry around the wok to evenly distribute it so it thickens evenly. Then, give everything a final toss together. Tip: If you feel the starch is too thick, you can add some water to loosen it up. The thickness of the sauce varies depending on how much cooking liquid has evaporated during the cooking process.
  

To Serve

• Divide the stir-fry over 3 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice portioned into individual donburi (large) bowls. You can sprinkle white pepper powder if you like. Enjoy!
  

To Store

• You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month.