Thin slices of beef and tender onion cook briefly in dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Spoon the glossy sauce over Japanese rice: simple, savory and just right for soaking up with every bite.
Gyudon is a Japanese rice bowl with beef: gyu means beef, and don refers to a bowl dish served over rice. The combination is simple, but the proportions matter. Tender slices of meat, sweet onion and rice come together in a savory, lightly sweet sauce. The sauce shouldn’t cook down until dry; a little broth among the grains of rice is part of the dish. Pickled ginger, often called beni shoga, adds a tangy, refreshing note that balances the rich beef.
Dashi makes a light base for the sauce. Japanese dashi is often made with kombu and bonito, but instant dashi is handy for a quick meal. Dissolve the granules according to the package directions and keep an eye on the salt content: some varieties are already seasoned. Soy sauce adds salt and umami, mirin brings gentle sweetness, and sugar rounds out the sauce. Use Japanese soy sauce and mirin if you have them; it’s best not to replace mirin with regular wine in equal amounts, as the flavor and sweetness will be different. A little extra water with a pinch of sugar will do in a pinch, but the result will be less complex.
Thinly sliced beef is essential for the short cooking time. Beef sold as sukiyaki or shabu-shabu meat works well; otherwise, ask a butcher to slice ribeye or another tender cut very thinly. Partially freezing the meat makes it easier to slice at home. Let the onion soften in the broth first, so it becomes sweet and tender. Then add the beef and cook it only briefly. Simmering it for too long will make thin slices firm rather than tender. Keep the pan at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.
Japanese short-grain rice is best; it stays soft and soaks up the sauce well. Rinse the grains until the water is less cloudy and follow the proportions on the package, as these vary by rice variety and cooking method. Serve the rice hot, topped with the beef, onion and some sauce. Pickled ginger is a classic fresh-tasting addition; finely sliced scallions can be added too, but aren’t essential to the basic dish. A bowl of miso soup or some quick-pickled cucumber makes a good side. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, within two hours, and eat them within two days; reheat the beef and sauce thoroughly until steaming hot.
Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until the water is less cloudy. Cook the rice according to the package directions.
If needed, cut the beef into bite-size strips. In a wide frying pan or shallow saucepan, combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar.
Add the onion and bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 5–7 minutes, until the onion is tender.
Loosely arrange the beef in the pan and simmer gently for 3–5 minutes. Carefully turn the slices once they’re cooked; don’t cook them any longer than necessary.
Divide the hot rice between two bowls. Spoon the beef and onion on top, then drizzle over some sauce. Serve with the pickled ginger.
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