I've been seeing quite a number of people complaining about blogs that include personal stories in each post. One friend posted, "I just want a recipe, I don't want to hear about your childhood". And for some reason, that struck a nerve. I know blogs are supposed to be informational, but they're personal spaces first and foremost. I think the author putting in how personal the dish is for them isn't wrong. I for one keep this as a personal journal on the internet which is why I like telling stories here and there before sharing recipes, reviews etc. And if you want to go straight to the recipe, that's usually towards the bottom--just go straight there. I find it utterly disrespectful to come into someone else's personal space and 'rant' about how they choose to present information.
Anyway, enough of that. I just really wanted to get it out of my system. Today's recipe is something I've shared in the past but I've recently found new way to make it better so I thought why not share it again! Japanese dishes are simple when it comes to procedure but the ingredients is where we usually struggle with because some, like dashi, aren't always readily available in our friendly neighborhood grocery stores. But I've managed to cook up something that you can do at home. Let's begin!
INGREDIENTS
2tbsp soy sauce
2tbsp mirin
2tbsp sake
1tbsp water
Chopped Green Onions
300g thinly sliced beef
Sliced white onions
Toasted sesame seeds
PROCEDURE
1. In a pan, saute your beef for about 3-5 minutes or until they're brown in color.
2. Once brown, add the sliced white onions and saute for 2 more minutes.
3. Then, make the sauce mixture by mixing the soy sauce, mirin and sake, Pour over the beef.
4. Simmer for about 5minutes then add 1tbsp of water.
5. Top with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
NOTES
I've been making Gyudon for a while now and based on my experience, some things you can't just replace--like Mirin. I've tried making Gyudon with just the basics and it just tastes like Adobo lol. Mirin adds a different depth of sweetness to the dish so this is a must-have for me. I also use it in other sauces that I make so having this handy at home wouldn't be a total waste. But if you don't have Sake, I'm happy to report I've found an alternative--vodka! I think I read it on Google or probably saw a Tiktok about it, but I did try it and it worked! If you want less alcohol on your dish, just maybe use 1tbsp. Other articles mention using Soju but I've yet to try it. Will report back once I have.
For now, that's all I have! This is a super easy dish you can easily whip-up in 10 minutes. I usually cook it when I have a lot of work and only have around 30mins to spare for lunch. Prep doesn't take as much time as well. Top it on a steamy bowl of rice and you're good to go. Let me know if you try this recipe. I'd love to know what you think!
Ochi is a twenty-something Corporate Trainer who loves to cook, take photos and videos of her food, eat and travel. On weekends, she's either drunk or snuggling in bed watching her favorite crime drama. 
