Japanese Beef Rice Bowl (Gyudon)
A quick Japanese-style beef rice bowl with tender beef and sweet onions simmered in a savoury soy and mirin sauce, served over steamed rice and topped with an onsen egg for the ultimate comfort meal.
Ingredients
- 200 g thinly sliced beef
- ½ onion, sliced
- A small handful of bonito flakes, snipped into smaller pieces with scissors, or crumbled by hand before adding to the pan.
- Vegetable oil, for cooking
- Sesame seeds and spring onion, to garnish
- Steamed rice, to serve
- 1 onsen egg, to serve optional
FOR THE MARINADE
- 1 tbsp honey or sugar
- 1 tsp grated ginger
FOR THE SAUCE
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp cooking wine or sake
- 1 tsp sugar
- 50 ml water
Instructions
- Marinate the beef: Toss the beef with the honey and grated ginger. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes.
- Cook the onions: Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat and stir fry the onions until soft and tender.
- Add the sauce: Add the sauce mixture and bonito flakes to the pan. Simmer briefly.
- Cook the beef: Add the marinated beef and cook until no longer pink.
- Reduce and thicken: Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
- Assemble: Spoon the beef and onions over a bowl of steamed rice. Top with an onsen egg if using, then garnish with sesame seeds and spring onion. Serve immediately.
Slice the onion thinly and cook it until soft and slightly translucent, even a touch caramelised, so its natural sweetness fully comes through.
Don't overcook the beef. Add it only once the onion and sauce are well combined and flavourful, then cook just until it changes colour. It will continue cooking briefly as the sauce reduces, so avoid leaving it in the pan too long, or it will turn tough.
Video
Notes
I bought my beef slices from an Asian supermarket in London. If you're shopping at a UK supermarket instead, short ribs work well too. Give them a slight freeze first to make slicing easier.
