Beef Bowl (Gyudon)

*This is the 2nd of a 4-part recipe series featuring lean cuts of beef.  The first recipe is Boiled Chuck Shoulder Roast (Nilagang Baka), which can be found HERE.*

On Thursday, Saturday and Sunday last week (yes, just before the start of the Lenten Season!) I cooked 3 beef dishes, all of them Asian and two of which I made for the first time.  For this entry, let me share with you the recipe for the Japanese dish: Gyudon or Beef Bowl.

This was the first time I made gyudon.  I scolded myself for not having made this sooner because this dish was so easy to make!  It was flavorful, too!  It received praises from my two favorite diners: hubby and my first grader. They really know what’s good for them! :D

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups of cooked rice (We used brown rice.)

10 1/2 oz. thinly sliced  tenderloin

4 dried shiitake mushrooms, softened and sliced into 1/8 in strips – Do not use stems!

4 oz. spinach leaves

2 T water chestnuts, coarsely chopped

4 eggs

Note: To soften shiitake mushrooms, soak in warm water, making sure they are submerged.  Placing a flat pan, plate or a lid on top of the mushrooms ought to do the trick.  Discard stems and use only the caps.  The water where the mushrooms were soaked will make for a good stock.

Cooking Sauce:

1 C water

1/4 C soy sauce

1/4 C mirin

1 t sugar

1 T instant dashi stock powder

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Mix the water and instant dashi stock powder in a 12″ skillet.  Stir  until dissolved then add the soy sauce, mirin and sugar.  Add the meat and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the beef slices have turned into a brown color.

2.  Add shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts and spinach.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

3.  Pour beaten eggs.

4.  Continue cooking without stirring until the eggs are set.

5.  Divide cooked rice into 4 to 6 and place on serving bowls.  Top with the cooked beef and sauce.  Serve and enjoy!

Easy.  Simple. Yummy. ;)

Cheers, y’all!

Disclosure:  As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program in partnerhsip with the Texas Beef Council, I received a stipend to make the 4 lean beef recipes.  Thank you Foodbuzz and Texas Beef Council! :)