Japanese Beef Bowl

I love Japanese food so I was intrigued when I saw this recipe for Japanese Beef Bowl. It’s a tasty stir-fry that only takes a few minutes to make — perfect for a weeknight meal.

For beef stir-fry, I usually use a flatiron steak because it stays tender. For easy slicing, let the meat freeze for 20-30 minutes (it’s a great tip!). After the beef finished cooking in the sauce, I added a teaspoon or so of freshly grated ginger (just because I had it out for another recipe). Serve the stir-fry with steamed rice and veggies for a complete meal.

For more recipes, check out Tasty Tuesdayand Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Japanese Beef Bowl
-recipe from Sunset Magazine

A simple weeknight dinner full of flavor. To slice beef thinly, wrap and place in freezer for 30 minutes before cutting. Makes 4 servings

2 cups short- or medium-grain rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons sake
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound  beef sirloin, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Pickled ginger slices (optional)

In a 4-quart pan, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add rice and salt. Cover and reduce heat to simmer, then cook until almost tender, 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

In a small pan, bring soy sauce, sugar, sake, and 3/4 cup water to a boil. Remove from heat and reserve.

In a 10-inch frying pan over high heat, cook onion in oil until it begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add beef and continue stirring for 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup of soy-sake sauce and stir until beef is cooked, 2 minutes longer.

Divide rice among 4 bowls. Top with beef, remaining sauce, and cilantro. Serve with ginger, if desired.