Let’s talk about comfort food – the stuff that you turn to when you’re dead tired, hungry and cranky. You want a one-pot meal, something that is simple and quick to put together. I’ve got just the dish. This is gyudon, which is short for gyuniku donburi, or Japanese beef bowl with rice. It’s quick and delicious.
Gyudon, literally beef bowl, is a Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of rice topped with beef and onion that have been simmered in a mildly sweet sauce. It includes clear bean thread noodles and may include mushrooms. This is comfort food: simple, quick, and satisfying.
This is a ‘serves 2’ version. If you’d like a larger batch, simply double the ingredients.
Gyu-Don for 2
- 1 bunch bean threads
- 1/2 c soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp Mirin wine
- 1/3 c sugar
- 1 small onion, sliced in meridians
- 1 c thinly sliced mushrooms (optional)
- 1/2 to 3/4 lb beef, sliced paper thin
- red pickled ginger (benishoga)
Cook the rice: i always use a rice cooker; that’s how this counts as a one-pot dish! Take 1 bunch bean thread, put it in a deep bowl, and pour boiling water over them. Cover bowl, and let soak.
In a saucepan, put the soy sauce, Mirin, and sugar. Bring this to a boil, then add the sliced onion and reduce the heat. Let the onions cook until just barely translucent. Add in the mushrooms, and let them cook through. Now add the sliced beef, stir, and let simmer until the slices lose their red color.
Drain the bean thread, and add these noodles into the pot. Stir to combine, and serve over rice. Top with red pickled ginger threads (benishoga).
Gyudon for 2
Ingredients
- 1 bunch bean threads
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp mirin
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 small onion, sliced in meridians
- 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms (optional)
- ½ lb beef, sliced paper thin
- red pickled ginger (benishoga)
Instructions
- Cook rice: I always use a rice cooker, which makes this even easier. Start the rice first, and then turn to the beef and onions.
- Take 1 bunch bean thread, put it in a deep bowl, and pour boiling water over them. Cover bowl, and let soak at least 10 minutes, while you proceed with the recipe.
- In a saucepan, put the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Bring this to a boil, then add the sliced onion and reduce the heat. Let the onions cook until just barely translucent.
- Add in the mushrooms, if you’re using them, and let them cook through. Now add the sliced beef, stir, and let simmer until the slices lose their red color.
- Drain the bean thread, and add these noodles into the pot. Stir to combine, and serve over rice. Top gyudon with red pickled ginger threads (benishoga).