GYUDON (JAPANESE BEEF & RICE BOWLS)

Every weekday at noon on the dot, there would be a mass exodus from office buildings across the city, as coworkers headed out to grab a meal. Lucky for me, I worked in an area of the city where restaurants were abundant and extremely varied. I’d sit down to a bowl of hand-pulled noodles at a hideaway noodle bar on Monday, and head to a Yunnan Hot Pot restaurant on Tuesday. Each week would be different––my coworkers and I would figure out our lunch plans in advance––sometimes even days before (which is perfectly normal behavior in Beijing, I’ll have you know). There were even some awesome non-Asian options, like an Israeli place that had some of the best falafel I’ve ever tasted.

One of my absolute favorite lunch options, however, was a Japanese place that served the dish we’re talking about today: Gyudon.

Gyudon is basically a dish of thinly sliced fatty beef, cooked in a slightly sweet mixture of mirin and soy sauce and served over rice. Sake is also sometimes added for extra flavor. At the place I went to in Beijing, the would serve it piping hot with a raw egg yolk on top.

Ingredients

• Neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil
• 2 medium onions, very thinly sliced
• 1 lb very thinly sliced beef (fatty beef chuck or ribeye)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 cup dashi stock (can also substitute beef or chicken stock)
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups cooked short-grain or medium-grain white rice
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, and cook the sliced onions for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
2. Add the beef and sugar, and cook until the beef is slightly browned. Add the mirin, soy sauce, and stock. Bring to a simmer, and cook for about 10-15 minutes to reduce the stock into a thin sauce. Taste for seasoning, and add a little more soy sauce if needed.
3. ...........................................

for full recipes please see : thewoksoflife.com

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