Steps

1. Cut the Japanese leek into approximately 6cm lengths and halve them lengthwise.
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2. Slice the chicken thigh thinly against the grain, then cut into bite-sized pieces about 1cm thick. [Pro Tip!] For donburi, cutting into smaller bite-sized pieces makes it easier to eat.
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3. Warm the cooked rice.
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4. Heat 1/2 tbsp lard in a frying pan over medium-high heat. [Pro Tip!] If you don't have lard, you can substitute with vegetable oil, but using animal fat will make it more delicious.
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5. Add the cut Japanese leek to the hot pan and cook until browned.
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6. Add the chicken thigh to the browned Japanese leek, skin-side down, and cook. [Pro Tip!] Cooking skin-side down allows the fat from the chicken skin to render and coat everything, making it more delicious.
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7. In a bowl, combine 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine), 1 tsp sake, and 3 dashes MSG(Ajinomoto) (MSG). Mix well to create the sauce.
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8. Once the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through, add the prepared sauce and simmer until it thickens.
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9. Place the cooked rice in a donburi bowl and arrange shredded nori on top.
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10. Place the simmered chicken thigh and Japanese leek over the rice.
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11. Finally, pour the reduced sauce over the top, and optionally sprinkle with sansho pepper or shichimi (Japanese seven-spice blend) to finish.
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