Oyako Donburi (Parent-Child Bowl)

Pour a small amount of boiling water over dried mushrooms; let stand about 5 minutes or until softened. Drain mushrooms and cut caps into thin slices, discarding stems. Set aside.

Cut chicken into thin bite-size strips (about 1-1/3 cups). Cook chicken, covered, in chicken broth in a large saucepan for 3 to 4 minutes or until no longer pink. Add soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, bamboo shoots, green onions, peas, and mushrooms; return mixture to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 5 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add imitation crabmeat; heat through. Push solids to one side of saucepan. Slowly pour the beaten eggs all at once into the center of the liquid. Cook over low heat (do not boil) just until eggs set, stirring liquid gently once or twice only to prevent omelet from sticking. Try to avoid breaking eggs into find strands.

To serve, spoon mixture over hot rice in large individual bowls and garnish with shredded nori. Makes four (3/4-cup rice and 1-cup soup) servings.

Nutrition Tip: To reduce sodium content, use homemade chicken broth without added salt.

Recipe adapted from Shoyu: How to Cook, published by and available from Women's Ministry Group of the Anaheim Japanese Free Methodist Church.

Food exchanges: 3 starch, 3-1/2 meat, 1/2 fat