The Happy Home Cook: Boneless Bangus Donburi

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Boneless Bangus Donburi (Photo by Rene Astudillo)

A visit to a Japanese restaurant is never complete for me unless I order unagi (eel). I’m perfectly fine having it either as sushi or as a rice bowl (unagi donburi.)

Unlike in California, I don’t have a source of packaged eel where I currently am in Baguio City in the Philippines. But I have found a worthy, readily available alternative to unagi domburi:  boneless bangus (milkfish). I have even come up with my local version of the unagi sauce, using my choice of beer, San Mig Light,  as a substitute for sake.

Ingredients

2 pieces, boneless bangus belly, unseasoned

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup, San Mig Light beer

2 tablespoons, pickled ginger for garnish

2 tablespoons, chopped green onions

2 cups, cooked white rice

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp Olive oil 

Directions

Slice each bangus belly into 2 portions. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

Prepare the sauce by combining soy sauce, sugar and beer in a pan. Heat the pan over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a quick boil then simmer for a few minutes, stirring until the sauce thickens.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Heat a grill pan over high heat before brushing it with Olive oil. Add boneless bangus and grill the bangus belly on both sides till browned, brushing them with the unagi sauce.

Place cooked rice on a bowl, lightly coating it with unagi sauce. Place two slices of the grilled bangus over the rice and top with a generous pinch of pickled ginger and some green onions.

First published in: https://mybaykitchen.wordpress.com/2020/07/18/boneless-bangus-donburi/

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Rene Astudillo

Rene Astudillo is a writer, book author and blogger and has recently retired from more than two decades of nonprofit community work in the Bay Area. He spends his time between California and the Philippines.

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