Gyudon Recipe - Hokkaido Wagyu Beef, Japanese Rice from Don Don Donki!

Don Don Donki is a 24-hour Japanese supermarket/departmental store located at Orchard Central. It is touted as a popular Japanese discount store. The most amazing experience for me was checking out the wide range of Japanese ingredients especially the Kobe and Wagyu beef. They looked so inviting! I thought I could make Gyudon using Hokkaido Wagyu beef. 

Gyudon

Click to view Gyudon Recipe Video!

Main Ingredients for Gyudon Hokkaido Wagyu Beef  from Don Don Donki

Hokkaido Wagyu Beef from Don Don Doki

The marbling on the Wagyu beef looks amazing. I was imagining it to melt in my mouth. I briefly talked about why Wagyu Beef is unique on my other blogpost. Click here to read more. If you do not want to spend so much, look out for thinly sliced beef with fats in other supermarkets.

Japanese Rice from Don Don Donki

Made in Japan Japanese Rice from Don Don Donki

To make a good Don, you need good quality Japanese rice. I must talk about the rice because it is easy to cook and it tastes like Japanese rice served in a restaurant for just under S$6! How amazing!

If you are interested in learning how to cook Japanese rice well for Dons or Sushi, check out this website with very detailed instructions. Click here to read more.

For toppings for my Dons, I love to add Japanese seaweed mix with sesame seeds and Poached Egg. The usual toppings for a Gyudon are Pickled Red Ginger (Beni Shoga) and Spring Onions.

Soba or Udon Sauce

The other main ingredient for Gyudon is actually the sauce that is used to simmer the beef. You usually need Dashi (made from kelp and shaved tuna or anchovies), Sake, Soya Sauce and Mirin to form the soup base for simmering the beef. For a home cook who enjoys convenience, I will always just buy Soba or Udon sauce containing Soya Sauce, Mirin, Fish Extract and Alcohol. The result will be similar to what you taste in a typical Japanese restaurant.

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Gyudon - Japanese Beef Rice Bowl

by My Sassy Food Blogger February-4-2018

Ingredients

• Thinly Sliced Beef
• 1 cup (for small eaters) Japanese Rice
• 2 Eggs
• 5 tablespoons Soba or Udon Sauce
• Water
• 1 Onion
• 1 tablespoon White Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Seaweed Mix
• Optional Spring Onions
• Optional Pickled Red Ginger

Instructions

Japanese Rice 

1. Wash Japanese rice until the water is clear.
2. Soak Japanese rice in water for 15 minutes.
3. Use the usual amount of water for cooking non-Japanese rice.
4. Cook rice using a rice-cooker. If you are using a steamer, cook it for 40 minutes.
Beef
4. Heat up oil in a non-stick pot. 
5. Place sliced onions on the pot and fry until soft.
6. Add Soba or Udon Sauce.
7. Add water to dilute the sauce. Taste and adjust to your personal preference. 
8. Boil the mixture.
9. Add the beef into the broth.
10. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for less than a minute.
11. Switch off the stove immediately after the beef has been cooked. 
Poached Egg
11. Crack an egg and place it in a soup ladle.
   12. Boil sufficient water to cover the ladle with the egg in another pot.

13. Add vinegar to the water. 
14. Place the soup ladle containing the egg in the water for 1 minute to 2 minutes for a firmer yolk.
15. Place the rice on the bowl. 
16. Add beef, onions and sauce onto the rice. 
17. Avoid adding too much sauce in order not to make the rice soggy. 
18. Place the Poached Egg on top of the beef. Sprinkle your toppings.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 50 mins Yield: 2