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?