Name: Japanese-Style Shaved Beef and Rice Bowls
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 cup water; ¼ cup soy sauce; ¼ cup mirin; ¼ cup sake; 2 tablespoons sugar; ¼ teaspoon instant dashi powder, such as Hondashi; 1 onion, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick; 1 pound thinly shaved rib-eye steak; 4 cups cooked white rice; 4 soft-cooked large eggs; 3 scallions, sliced thin

Why This Recipe Works

This dish is modeled after gyudon, a speedy, simple Japanese dish of thinly sliced beef and onions simmered in a sweet soy broth and served over rice. Gyudon is a popular fast food item in Japan, commonly found at chains like Yoshinoya and Sukiya, but its fast-cooking nature also makes it a perfect candidate for weeknight cooking. Homemade dashi, made by steeping kombu and katsuobushi (smoked bonito flakes) in water, gives the broth a savory backbone, but using instant dashi granules is also common and works almost as well. Buying preshaved steak from the butcher section of the grocery store saves the step of thinly slicing the meat yourself.

Before You Begin

Thinly sliced rib-eye can be found in the meat section of many grocery stores or in Asian markets (look for shabu shabu meat). You can also freeze 2-inch chunks of steak for 15 minutes and then slice thinly across the grain. Garnish with beni shoga (red pickled ginger marinated in plum vinegar) and shichimi togarashi.

Instructions

Bring 1 cup water, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup mirin, ¼ cup sake, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon dashi powder to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Add 1 onion, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick, adjust heat to simmer, and cook until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.

Stir in 1 pound thinly shaved rib-eye steak. Cook until beef is no longer pink and beef and onion are tender, about 10 minutes.

Divide 4 cups cooked white rice among 4 individual serving bowls. Divide beef and onion mixture among rice bowls, drizzling with some broth mixture. Top with 4 soft-cooked eggs and sprinkle with 3 thinly sliced scallions. Serve.