egg rice with broccoli bits

This cozy little bowl was born out of my love for egg yolks and sushi rice–two staples in my kitchen that, when married together, quickly transform into something at once completely commonplace yet entirely complex. Inspired by this dude, and the Japanese dish tomago gohan (literally "egg rice"), the magic happens when the two ingredients meet, when your spoon (or chopsticks) first dive in to the warm, steaming bowl, and give everything a sweet little stir, coating the sticky rice in a deliriously gooey, bright and sunshiney egg yolk sauce, punctuated by crispy bits of salt and nuttiness and umami from a handful of toppings (all optional, but highly recommended). It's a perfect dish for a lazy weekend breakfast, when the March winds still whips outside, and you crave the comforts of a warm bowl between your hands, paired with a salty, crispy brightness that reminds you that Spring will eventually come.

• 1 cup sushi rice, rinsed several times under cold water
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2-3 cups broccoli florets, with some stems intact
• 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 tbsp. avocado oil (or any neutral, good-quality oil of your choice)
• 2 large egg yolks (see NOTE)
• 2 large sheets of nori, crumbled into small flakes
• small handful of bonito flakes
• 1-2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
• 1 heaping tsp spirulina (optional, but for added funk and greeniness)
• 1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. ghee, or butter

Preheat your oven to 450° F, and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside. Separate the sticks from the fluffy floret parts of your broccoli pieces, and finely chop both into very small pieces. Scatter the floret pieces onto your prepared baking sheet (reserving the broccoli stem pieces), along with the minced garlic, and coat evenly with the avocado oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Add the stock, rinsed sushi rice, and a few hefty pinches of salt to a large saucepan, and bring to a gentle boil before lowering the heat to low, so that the water is just simmering. Cover the saucepan with it's lid and allow the rice to cook for 7-10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, pop the baking sheet with the broccoli florets into your preheated oven, and roast, stirring occasionally, until broccoli bits are crispy and just slightly charred, about 10 minutes. Watch these carefully as they can burn easily.

While the broccoli is roasting, check in the sushi rice. Most all the liquid should be absorbed but it should still be slightly chewy. Keeping it cooking over low heat, stir in the reserved broccoli stem bits, along with the spirulina, rice wine vinegar, ghee (or butter), and more salt to taste. Continue to cook 1-2 minutes more until broccoli bits are tender and all liquid has been absorbed. 

Divide the warm rice between 2 bowls, making a well in the center of each. Carefully place 1 egg yolk in each well, then top with a generous sprinkle of nori, bonito flakes, sesame seeds, and the crispy roasted broccoli bits. Devour immediately, stirring the yolks into the still-warm rice to allow them to cook ever so slightly. 

NOTE: If you are slightly squeamish about eating raw egg yolks, feel free to use pasteurized eggs, or simply stir the yolks into the rice while it's still on the stove to allow them to cook a bit more. I use the freshest, organic eggs that I can find, and have no problems eating the yolks slightly raw.