How to Make a Classic Yoshinoya-Style Gyūdon Beef Bowl

Yoshinoya Holdings Co. is a global fast-food giant built on a single, perfect concept: gyūdon. This simple bowl of thinly sliced beef and onions simmered in a sweet-savoury broth over rice is a staple of Japanese cuisine, and Yoshinoya has spent decades perfecting its operational speed and massive market presence worldwide. The brand's grip on pop culture is still massive, proven by their recent Dragon Quest Walk promotional sets selling out almost instantly across Japan. Fortunately, you do not need to visit a Tokyo counter to eat like this. You can make an incredibly accurate version of their signature beef bowl at home in under twenty minutes with just a few basic ingredients.

Ingredients

• 300g very thinly sliced beef (ribeye or chuck, shaved paper-thin)
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into 1cm wedges
• 200ml dashi stock (or water with 1 tsp dashi powder)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 bowls of hot, freshly cooked Japanese short-grain rice
• Pickled red ginger (beni shōga) and shichimi tōgarashi for serving

Method

1. Combine the dashi stock, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat.
2. Add the sliced onions to the pot and simmer them for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they start to soften and turn translucent.
3. Separate the paper-thin beef slices so they do not clump together, then add them directly into the simmering broth.
4. Simmer the beef gently for about 3 to 4 minutes, skimming off any foam or fat that rises to the surface, until the meat is cooked through and tender.
5. Ladle a generous portion of the hot beef and onions over your bowls of hot rice, making sure to spoon a few tablespoons of the sweet-savoury broth over the top of each bowl.

This recipe makes two satisfying bowls; finish with a mound of bright red pickled ginger and a shake of chilli powder to cut through the rich, savoury beef.