Made with four simple ingredients, Stir-Fried Garlic Chives and Egg over Rice (Niratama Donburi) is a comforting quick dish when you‘re short on time. This delicious meal is a popular example of the Japanese adaptation of Chinese cuisine called Chuka Ryori. Top it with your favorite chili crunch for a kick of umami and spice.
In my many years of cooking for the family, I’ve learned to count on one-pan and one-bowl recipes for busy weekdays. When the kids come home hungry, I can immediately cook up a decent hot meal for them without having to succumb to take-out or instant noodles!
If you find yourself in need for inspiration, I would love for you to try Niratama Donburi (ニラ玉丼ぶり), or Garlic Chives and Egg Over Rice!
This is a wholesome yet delicious recipe that anyone can rustle up in just 10 minutes! If you have eggs and chives in the fridge and frozen rice in the freezer, you’re good to go.
Table of Contents
What’s Niratama?
Niratama (ニラ玉) literally means garlic chives (nira in Japanese) and egg (tama shorten for tamago).
Here, we have eggs and garlic chives cooked until they are fluffy yet crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and serve it over steamed rice.
In Japan, you’ll find several variations of niratama. Some dishes are covered with a thick sweet and sour gravy sauce called an (あん) or ankake (あんかけ) like Tenshinhan. Some dishes come with dashi-based sauce. Some look more like a regular stir-fried dish.
Today, I share my version, the way my family likes it. It’s very simple to follow, but you’re welcome to adapt and modify the recipe. More suggestions below!
How to Make Stir-Fried Garlic Chives and Egg
The Ingredients You’ll Need
- Garlic chives (also called Chinese Chives or Nira in Japanese) – Why use garlic chives? This allium plant is very popular in East Asian and Southeast Asian cooking because of their subtle taste of garlic with a bit of onion flavor. I love how much they can transform a simple fried egg into something so flavorful, colorful, and full of texture.
- Eggs
- Seasonings – sake, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper
- Cooking oil – sesame oil and neutral oil
The Cooking Steps
- In a bowl, beat the eggs and add seasonings.
- Stir-fry the garlic chives in a wok until they are wilted. Take them out and add them to the egg mixture.
- Cook the egg and chive mixture in the hot wok. Stir and cook until the eggs are almost done. Then, place it over the steamed rice.
Variations with Add-on Protein
I keep this recipe vegetarian-friendly, but Japanese home cooks do like to add a small portion of sliced pork loin or pork belly to make buta niratama (豚ニラ玉, buta means pork in Japanese).
Besides pork, shrimp or firm tofu would work great. Keep in mind that the protein should be a small portion since the garlic chives and eggs are the star of the dish.
Cook the protein first, before you cook the garlic chives. Take them out to a plate as soon as it’s done cooking. Add them back after your egg is almost done cooking in the wok. All you need to do is to combine it with the egg mixture.
Cooking Tips
- Do not overcook garlic chives. The flat leafy parts get cooked really fast. Start with the thick stems, then add the leafy parts. You don’t need to stir-fry for a long time.
- Distribute the oil to the sides of the wok (or frying pan). This way, when you slide the eggs, they won’t stick to the wall.
- The wok (or frying pan) should be really hot when you add the egg mixture. The hot oil will immediately cook the eggs from the edges and the eggs will float. That’s how you make fluffy eggs. If the oil is not hot, this will not happen.
- Keep in mind that the remaining heat will continue to cook the eggs. When the eggs are not runny anymore, turn off the heat or remove the wok from the heat.
- Use a small portion of the protein, if you are adding. Garlic chives are easy to blend into the egg mixture, but the pieces of protein won’t be. So, keep it in a small portion.
Spice It Up!
We love adding some of my homemade Crunchy Garlic Chili Oil (Taberu Rayu) to the egg. Compared to Chinese brands of chili crisps, Japanese chili oil is milder on the spice level. Don’t let the red color intimidate you. My kids who don’t typically tolerate heat well actually enjoy this.
You can purchase this Japanese chili oil on Amazon, but it’s very easy to make at home so I make a big batch.
What to Serve with Niratama Donburi
You can enjoy the rice bowl as it is. For a more complete or elaborate meal, serve the stir-fried garlic chives and egg dish with rice, along with other side dishes and a soup.
- Soup: Wonton Soup, Tomato and Tofu Miso Soup, or Kabocha Miso Soup.
- Salad: Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing, Japanese Potato Salad, or Harusame Salad.
- Sides: Miso Glazed Eggplant, Japanese Roasted Kabocha Squash, or Okra with Ginger Soy Sauce.
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Niratama Donburi (Stir-Fried Garlic Chives and Egg over Rice)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 small bunch garlic chives (Chinese chives or Nira) (a penny-size bunch; 1½ oz, 43 g)
- 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)
- 1 tsp sake
- ½ tsp soy sauce
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ Tbsp toasted sesame oil (for stir-frying the garlic chives)
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil (enough to make the egg fluff up when added to the hot oil; without enough oil, the egg may stick to the wok)
- 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (typically 1⅔ cups (250 g) per donburi serving)
- Crunchy Garlic Chili Oil (Taberu Rayu) (optional; for serving)
Instructions
Before You Start…
- For the steamed rice, please note that 1½ cups (300 g, 2 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked rice, enough for 2 donburi servings (3⅓ cups, 500 g). See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
- Gather all the ingredients. If you wish, you can add a very small portion of the protein of your choice to this dish. In Japan, we often add thinly sliced pork belly or pork loin to Niratama Donburi.
To Make the Niratama
- Cut 1 small bunch garlic chives (Chinese chives or Nira) into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces. Separate the tough bottom part from the green leafy part.
- Combine 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell), 1 tsp sake, ½ tsp soy sauce, ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a medium bowl and mix.
- Heat a wok or frying pan (I use and love this wok; Use JOC10 to get a 10% discount) on medium high. When it‘s hot, add ½ Tbsp toasted sesame oil. To the oil in the wok, add the tough bottom part of the garlic chives first, then the green leafy parts on top. If you‘re adding protein (meat or seafood), cook it before the garlic chives, transfer to a plate, and then put it back into the wok after adding the egg mixture.
- Stir-fry until slightly wilted. Then, transfer the garlic chives to the egg mixture. Tip: You don‘t need to wash the wok, but make sure it‘s clear of any food particles.
- Mix the garlic chives with the egg mixture to combine. Serve 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice in individual large donburi bowls or on individual plates.
- Add 2 Tbsp neutral oil to the same wok over medium-high heat and distribute the oil around the wok to coat. You‘ll know the oil is hot enough when 1) you see smoke coming off from the edge of the wok and 2) the oil looks thin and moves smoothly around the pan. To the hot oil in the wok, add the egg and chive mixture.
- The egg mixture will get fluffy around the edges. Quickly mix only the center of the egg mixture so the raw egg has contact with the hot frying pan. The main goal is to cook the center of the egg mixture as soon as possible. Tip: We do not flip the egg because we want to keep it soft and yellow for the final presentation.
- If you are adding protein, add the cooked protein of your choice at this stage. Don‘t worry if the eggs do not look completely cooked because the residual heat and the hot steamed rice will continue to cook them. When the center of the wok has less runny egg, divide it into 2 portions.
To Serve
- Top the steamed rice in each donburi bowl with the stir-fried garlic chives and egg. Your Niratama Donburi is now ready to serve.
- Serve this dish with Crunchy Garlic Chili Oil (Taberu Rayu) at the table. Scoop some crunchy garlic and fried shallots on top, followed by a drizzle of the chili oil, for a spicy kick and delicious umami flavor.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 15, 2014. It’s been updated with the new video and new step-by-step and final images on October 6, 2023.
Woww this came out amazing!! Super simple and I was surprised at how well the eggs and chives cooked. I also love how you repeated the ingredient measurements in the instructions so I didn’t have to keep looking back 🙂
Hello Alexandra! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed Nami’s recipe and found our new addition to the instructions helpful.☺️
Thank you for your kind feedback! 💞
I make this all the time. One of my very favorite recipes.
Hi Michelle! Awesome! 🥰 Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your cooking experience with us!
Happy Cooking!
This looks good. I am always looking for ways to eat garlic chives. Do you use soup soy sauce instead? Your egg looks bright yellow so I am wondering if I should use soup soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce as it will darken the color of the egg.
Hi Robin! We are glad to hear you enjoyed the Chive recipe!
Nami used regular soy sauce for this recipe. If you are worried about the color of the egg, yes, you may use lighter color soy sauce. However, saltness is different, so please adjust the amount for your liking. Happy Cooking!
I have grown garlic chives in a small pot in the kichen and made it!
IT is really a fantastic dish
Hi Anna, Awesome!👏🏻 We are happy to hear you made this dish with homegrown garlic chives! Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!
What is the countertop gas burner that you use in demos? 🌻✌️
Hi Gayle, We use the Iwatani brand.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006H42TVG/?ref=exp_justonecookbook_dp_vv_d
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013U7AUA4/?ref=exp_justonecookbook_dp_vv_d
If you would like to see Nami’s favorite tools etc., here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justonecookbook
We hope this helps!☺️
Simple and delicious! I added Jiao Yan (Chinese salt, sichuan pepper, and white pepper spice blend) on top at the end and it was the perfect finish.
This meal really comes together quick, especially if you’ve already got some rice ready. 😀
Hi Lion,
We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the dish.
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback.☺️
Woah, I love this dish! So simple and super delicious, thank you for sharing! Do you know if it is possible to freeze the Nira chives?
Greetings from Germany- ありがとうございました!
Hi Ena,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback. We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the dish!!
Yes, you may freeze the Nira.
1.Lay chopped Nira on a prepared baking tray in a single, even layer.
2.Freeze for 1-2 hours or until completely frozen.
3.Transfer to sealed containers and keep in the freezer.
Please make sure to wash and chop them up into usable pieces before you freeze them.
I hope this is helpful!
Yes, that is super helpful, thank you so much! Will buy more Nira next time I do Japanese grocery shopping and put it in the fridge to have a super delicious egg dish every time I crave it. 😄
Yesterday I tried the original recipe, today I added some sesame oil to the egg and sprinkled the dish with some Nanami Togarashi – mmmmmhh… 😋
My pleasure!! Happy cooking!😋
Perfect timing! I have leftover nira from making kuri kimchi . I never know what to do with the rest…now I do! Thanks, Nami!
Hope you enjoy this recipe, June! It’s a great way to use up! 🙂
I made this last night using freshly picked wild garlic and it was delicious!! Such humble yet magnificent ingredients, they all come together to create a true delight. I didn’t realise eggs could puff up quite like that – brilliant. My little one loved it so much I had to give him some of mine too 🙂 Thank you for the recipe. I look forward to trying more!
Hi Kimberley! Aww, I’m so happy to hear you and your son enjoyed this dish! Thank you for your kind words. 🙂
Can substitute chive with spinach since I am allergic to chive?
I had a similar dish in a local Japanese restaurant many years ago. It was made with spinach softly scrambled with eggs in a clear broth that was slightly sweet.
Hi Inez! Sure, you can do that. They probably sweetened dashi too. 🙂
Hi Nami! What brand of wok is this? Where can I buy the same one you used for this recipe (chive and egg rice bowl)? Thank you! 🙏
Hi Wendy! The stainless steel wok I used in this recipe is this brand: https://amzn.to/2tX2J5Q
However, I don’t use it anymore and now I use this wok (and love it): https://amzn.to/2Xq2gCv
Japanese mom liked it but she wanted a little sugar in it. She talked about a traditional version with a sauce? Thank you.
Hi Li! The ankake sauce, maybe? People make different variations but typically it’s dry.
I found a sauce version here: https://chefgohan.gnavi.co.jp/detail/4437
This recipe looked so yummy, I was so excited to have found Chinese chives in our local Asian supermarket! I have a feeling my wok might not be good enough though, because when I made mine the centre just wouldn’t cook. When I folded it (poorly!) I realised the outside was way overcooked already whilst the middle was still very runny. 🙁
Hi Ania! Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad to hear you could find Chinese chives locally. Don’t hesitate to add more oil for this recipe when you are using a wok. The egg should be floating in the oil to make the fluffy texture and quickly swirl in the center (which is the thickest raw egg mixture). I hope your next one will be better!
Such a quick and easy meal! I whipped this up for myself for lunch, and I topped the rice with furikake, the eggs with sashimi torigashi, and a side of roasted seaweed. Thank you!
Hi Meghan! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for your kind feedback. 🙂
I made this with regular chives and it was still delicious. Add some toast. (Okay I admit I was too lazy to make rice and wanted toast anyways). Such a yummy anytime simple meal.
Hi Katie! I’m so happy you liked this recipe (whether it’s toast or rice!). Thank you for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback! 🙂