High-protein Japanese rice bowls

 features recipes for six low-calorie, high-protein Japanese rice bowls, often referred to in Japan as Kinniku Meshi (muscle food/meals).

To keep the calories down while maximizing volume, the recipes frequently bulk up the bowls by layering the bottom with shredded cabbage before adding a reduced portion of rice.

Here is a summary of the six high-protein bowls featured in the video:

1. Yakitori Bowl 

The Protein: Skewered chicken thighs (grilled skin-side down for a nice char) alongside homemade fluffy chicken meatballs (tsukune) made from a blend of ground breast and thigh meat, mixed with an egg.

The Veggies: Interleaved green onions (negi) on the skewers and charred shishito peppers steamed in the residual heat.

The Twist: Served over rice with lightly fire-roasted nori seaweed and an improved savory restaurant-style tare sauce made with soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar.

2. Niku Tofu Bowl

The Protein: Slices of lean pork loin (a lighter alternative to traditional beef) combined with chunks of firm tofu that easily absorb the broth.

The Veggies: Sweet, soft onions cut into wedges.

The Twist: The secret to the sauce is a quick caramelization step where sugar and water are heated to a bubble to add richness before adding mirin, white wine, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic [10:59, 12:05]. It's served over cabbage and a small portion of rice, topped with dashi sprouts and ginger.

3. Shoyu Chicken & Negi Bowl

The Protein: Simmered chicken breast (can be skinned to drop calories further) and a fried egg (iri-tamago).

The Veggies: Edamame boiled in salted water (noted for having the highest protein of any vegetable) and shredded cabbage.

The Twist: The chicken is slowly simmered in a heavy amount of sake, soy sauce, and sugar to tenderize the meat, and the leftover sauce is thickened with potato starch to pour over the final bowl.

4. Umami-Packed Shrimp Miso Bowl

The Protein: Fresh shrimp lightly coated in potato starch and sake to lock in moisture and naturally thicken the final dish.

The Veggies: Finely chopped onions and peeled, diced tomatoes that break down into the sauce.

The Twist: The sauce is a unique combination of miso paste, sake, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and ginger that melds with the tomatoes. Instead of plain rice, it is served over high-protein edamame rice mixed with dashi powder, sesame oil, and soy sauce.

5. Four-Color Bowl (Yonkoku Don)

The Protein: Flaked salted salmon tossed with butter and ponzu sauce, paired alongside seasoned ground chicken breast, and sweet scrambled eggs.

The Veggies: Slimey and crunchy sliced okra soaked in a mixture of mirin, soy sauce, dashi, and sugar.

The Twist: A beautiful, colorful meal featuring four distinct, cleanly separated quadrants over the rice so you can enjoy individual components or mix them together.

6. Shrimp & Chicken Oyako Bowl 

The Protein: Skinless chicken breast pieces, fresh shrimp, and two beaten eggs cooked until just set.

The Veggies: Sliced onions and fresh Japanese wild parsley (mitsuba) added at the very end.

The Twist: Adding shrimp to a traditional chicken-and-egg oyakodon infuses the dashi broth with an extra layer of seafood umami without driving up calories [31:59]. For a restaurant feel, the chicken is quickly seared with a kitchen torch before the eggs are poured over.

Spicy Pork Belly Waterfall

Spicy and rich Isan food from a deep fryer, full of herbs and the aroma of roasted rice. Eat with sticky rice, it's delicious.

What to make with pork belly ? If you're tired of fried pork belly with fish sauce or pork belly stir-fried with chili and salt, try making pork belly waterfall . This recipe is grilled using an air fryer, topped with shallots and vegetables, and served with a delicious dipping sauce.

What is the difference between Nam Tok and Laab?
Nam Tok and Laab are similar in ingredients and seasonings, but the difference is that in Nam Tok dishes, the meat is cut into pieces and is mostly grilled, such as grilled pork neck, grilled pork, grilled beef, grilled duck, etc. However, there are modifications for people who do not eat meat, such as adding mushrooms or tofu instead. Laab is minced meat that has been stir-fried until cooked, such as pork laab, duck laab, fish laab, etc. If meat is not added, it can be changed to minced mushrooms or minced tofu.

What are the ingredients in pork waterfall?
Most Nam Tok Moo dishes use grilled pork, such as pork neck, pork tenderloin, or pork belly. Some recipes add boiled pork mixed with seasonings such as chili powder, fish sauce, lime juice. Some recipes also add pickled garlic juice, sugar or brown sugar. Some recipes add coconut sugar. The secret is roasted rice to enhance the aroma. Finally, add shallots, cilantro or spring onions-coriander, and mint leaves.

Pork Belly Waterfall Recipe
Today I went to the grocery store and found a pretty pork belly with a lot of meat on it, so I bought some back. My recipe doesn’t include mint leaves because I didn’t have any and didn’t buy any. The other day I made spaghetti with green curry and had some basil leaves left, so I just bought some more parsley. I roasted the dried chili myself and roasted the rice myself. When I got home, I soaked the sticky rice and marinated the pork. In the evening, I grilled it by stuffing it into the air fryer. It was very convenient, so today’s meal was delicious.

Ingredients for pork belly waterfall
Marinated and grilled pork belly

Roasted dried chili powder

fish sauce

Lemon juice

Coconut sugar

Basil leaves

Parsley

Sliced shallots

Roasted rice

How to make pork waterfall
1. Make the dressing by mixing roasted and ground dried chili, fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar together. Add a little boiled water.
2. When the dressing is ready, add sliced shallots, sliced coriander, basil leaves, followed by grilled pork belly and roasted rice. Then mix everything together.
3. Eat with freshly steamed sticky rice and crispy cucumber. This is a delicious dinner.

That's it for the recipe for pork belly waterfall. You can change it to other meats or add mushrooms and tofu instead.

Beer: The best Pilsners

Whenever you start wishing that “brewers would just make beer taste like beer again,” Pils ner is the name to reach for, said Spike Car ter in Bloomberg .com. First brewed in the Ba var ian city of Pil sen in 1842, the crisp, clean pale lager is by far the world’s most popular beer style. Czech-made Pils ner Ur quell remains the archetype, and easy to find. But these superlative U.S. examples deserve a go, too.

Firestone Walker Pivo Pils Paso Robles, Calif. Modeled after Italy’s floral, grassy, bittersweet, and cult-worthy Tipopils, this clean-drinking Pils has a “subtly” fruity hop nose.

Half Acre Pony Pilsner Chicago The sweet maltiness of this German-style lager is balanced by “a nicely cutting hop bite.”

Russian River STS Pils Santa Rosa, Calif. “Citrusy, grainy, herbaceous, and immensely crushable,” this Pils won gold at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival.

Recipe List