My goal this pandemic is to learn more Asian and European dishes. How can that be possible if you lack the signature “Asian” ingredients? Simple — I just watch YouTube tutorials and learn how to play around with the available ingredients in the pantry as substitutes.
This time, I tried the Beef Gyudon recipe with Onsen egg. It’s one of my favorite orders in Japanese restaurants. I love the delicate sweetness and umami taste combined in tender beef strips, gorgeously topped over a hot bowl of rice with pickled radish and egg. However, I don’t have Mirin and Sake. I know these two are basic Japanese ingredients that give that distinct taste to Japanese dishes, but I have no time to rush to the grocery. Good thing, I found a recipe online that recreates Gyudon without using these two flavor enhancers.
It’s also my first time trying out the famous Onsen egg which is usually a perfect topping for Ramen or Japanese rice bowls.

Ingredients
Beef
- 250g Beef Sukiyaki or any thinly-sliced beef
- 1 white onion, cut into strips
- minced garlic
- 1 beef cube
- 1 egg
- onion leeks for toppings
Gyudon sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce
- 3 tbsp. sugar
- white pepper
Procedure: Beef and Onsen Egg
- Sauté the white onions and garlic and add the beef.
- Add 3 cups of water and 1 beef cube and cover for it for 30-45 mins or until the beef gets tender.
- Mix the Gyudon sauce and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
- For the Onsen egg, boil a pot of water for 10 minutes and take it off from the stove.
- Drop the egg and cover it for 8 minutes.
- Take the egg from the pot and let it cool down.
- Assemble the beef. On a bowl of white rice, top the beef with onion leeks and crack the Onsen egg.
The recipe I am following says to sauté the beef in white onions and garlic and just add water. However, I noticed that the beef takes time to tenderize. I think it depends on the type of beef used. Had I known, I should have just fried it for a few minutes first before adding the sauce to save time.
Conclusion
My family liked it! It’s my first attempt on Beef Gyudon but it turned out to be a success!I will try to stock on basic Japanese ingredients like Mirin, Sake, and Dashi so I can cook more Japanese recipes in the future.
Any Asian recipe you’d like to recommend?