This Addictive Homemade SUKIYAKI Rice Bowl is My New Obsession!

Hello Foodies! Today, I’m excited to share a recipe for a beloved Japanese comfort food: Sukiyaki Don. If you’re a fan of the classic Sukiyaki hot pot, you’ll love this simplified, single-bowl version that captures all the delicious, savory-sweet flavors. It’s a perfect meal for a quick lunch or a satisfying dinner.

Sukiyaki Don, or Sukiyaki Rice Bowl, is a dish where thinly sliced beef and various vegetables are simmered in a special sauce and then served over a bed of steaming rice. It’s incredibly flavorful and brings the essence of a traditional Japanese hot pot to your table in minutes.

Let’s get cooking!

Ingredients (Serves 1)

Main Components:

• Cooked Japanese short-grain rice: 200g (7.1 oz), from 90g (3.2 oz) of raw rice

• Thinly sliced beef: 130g (4.6 oz) – Ribeye or chuck roll is recommended, but round cuts work too.

• Onion: 40g (1.4 oz)

• Green onion (Negi): 60g (2.1 oz)

• Grilled Tofu (Yaki-dofu): 60g (2.1 oz)

• Spinach: 30g (1.1 oz)

• Shirataki noodles: 40g (1.4 oz) (optional)

• Vegetable Oil: 2 tsp

For the Sukiyaki Sauce:

• Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp + 2 tsp (0.1 cup)

• Sugar: 1 tbsp + 2 tsp (0.1 cup)

• Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine): 1.5 tbsp (0.095 cup)

• Sake (Rice Wine): 1.5 tbsp (0.095 cup)

• Water: 2 tbsp (0.13 cup)

• Dashi Powder: 1/2 tsp

For Topping (Optional):

• Egg yolk

• Pickled red ginger (Beni shoga)

• Shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice powder)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Ingredients: Slice the onion into wedges, the green onion diagonally, and the grilled tofu and spinach into bite-sized pieces. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the Sukiyaki Sauce (Soy Sauce, Sugar, Mirin, Sake, Water, and Dashi Powder) and mix well.

2. Blanch the Vegetables: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for 30-60 seconds. Remove, let it cool, and then squeeze out all excess water. In the same pot with fresh boiling water, cook the shirataki noodles for about 2 minutes to remove their distinctive smell, then drain.

3. Sauté the Beef and Green Onion: Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and sauté until it begins to change color. Push the beef to one side of the pan and add the diagonally sliced green onions, cooking until fragrant.

4. Simmer with Sauce: Pour the prepared Sukiyaki Sauce over the beef and onions. Add the onion wedges and bring to a simmer, turning the ingredients occasionally.

5. Add Remaining Ingredients: After a few minutes, add the grilled tofu and shirataki noodles to the pan. Continue to simmer for about 5 minutes, turning them occasionally, until the sauce has slightly reduced. For a deeper flavor, you can turn off the heat and let the ingredients rest for 10-20 minutes to absorb the sauce.

6. Assemble Your Bowl: Fill a large bowl with the hot cooked rice. Artfully arrange the beef, vegetables, tofu, and shirataki on top. Add the blanched spinach. To finish, top with an egg yolk, pickled red ginger, and a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi, if desired. Enjoy!

A Few Helpful Tips

• Can’t find thinly sliced meat? No problem! You can buy a block of beef, freeze it for about 30-60 minutes until it’s firm, and then slice it as thinly as possible.

• No grilled tofu (Yaki-dofu)? You can use firm tofu instead. For a better texture, press the firm tofu to remove excess water, then pan-fry it until golden brown before adding it to the dish.

• How to enjoy the egg: If you’re not comfortable with a raw egg yolk, you can use a Japanese-style soft-boiled egg (Onsen Tamago) or a poached egg instead. Both are delicious alternatives