🍽️ Mains

Vegan Chuka Don

Fluffy white rice topped with a vibrant medley of tender Napa cabbage, crisp sweet pea pods, meaty shiitake mushrooms, and bright carrot — all simmered in a rich, glossy savoury-sweet sauce that clings beautifully to every ingredient. Warm, comforting, and perfectly balanced — crisp-tender vegetables, silky sauce, and fluffy rice make every bite satisfying. A classic Japanese rice bowl, reimagined completely plant-based without any meat or seafood!

Shared by yuki

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Time

25 min

Serves

Difficulty

easy

🛒 Ingredients

#Vegetables;
4–5 leaves Napa cabbage — cut into wide strips
100 g fresh snow peas (mange-tout) — trimmed
6–8 shiitake mushrooms — sliced.. 1 medium carrot — cut into thin matchsticks
1 small onion — thinly sliced.. 2 garlic cloves — minced.. 1 tsp fresh ginger — grated
#Savoury Sauce;
2 tbsp soy sauce.. 1 tbsp mirin (vegan) or maple syrup
1 tbsp rice wine or vegetable broth.. 1 tsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
½ tsp sesame oil.. 150 ml vegetable broth
1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water — slurry
#Base;
2 bowls hot steamed white rice
1½ tbsp neutral oil — for stir-frying

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1
Prep sauce first: Whisk soy sauce, mirin, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil, and vegetable broth in a bowl. Set aside the cornstarch slurry separately.
2
Stir-fry aromatics & vegetables: Heat oil in a wok or pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and onion — stir-fry 30 seconds until fragrant. Add carrot, shiitake, cabbage, and snow peas. Toss rapidly for 3–4 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp and brightly coloured.
3
Simmer & thicken: Pour the sauce mixture over vegetables. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in cornstarch slurry slowly while mixing — cook 1–2 minutes more until sauce thickens into a beautiful glossy coating that clings to everything. Taste and adjust salt or sweetness.
4
Assemble: Mound hot fluffy rice into bowls. Spoon the vegetable mixture generously over the rice — including plenty of that savoury glossy sauce.
5
Serve: Enjoy immediately while hot — plain or with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and scallion on top!