Soboro Donburi

Name: Soboro Donburi
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb 90% lean ground beef; 0.33 cup sake; 0.25 cup soy sauce; 0.25 cup dashi or water; 1.5 tbsp granulated sugar; 0.5 cup frozen English peas, thawed; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated and peeled; 5 cup hot cooked rice; 2 tbsp beni shoga (Japanese pickled ginger); 1 large large tomato, sliced

Ground Beef Soboro with Sweet Soy Glaze

Ground beef simmers in sake and soy sauce until the liquid reduces to a glossy coating that clings to every crumble. The result is intensely savory meat with just enough sweetness to balance the saltiness, perfect for spooning over steamed rice.

JapaneseAsianDinnerComfort FoodQuick Meals

Prep10 min

Cook10 min

Total20 min

Servings4

Difficultyeasy

Ingredients

1 lb90% lean ground beef
⅓ cupsake
¼ cupsoy sauce
¼ cupdashi or water
1½ tbspgranulated sugar
½ cupfrozen English peas, thawed
1 tbspfresh ginger, grated and peeled
5 cuphot cooked rice
2 tbspbeni shoga (Japanese pickled ginger)(optional)
1 largelarge tomato, sliced(optional)

Instructions

Combine the ground beef, sake, soy sauce, dashi, and sugar in a small Dutch oven or medium heavy saucepan. Mix everything together right in the pot — the raw beef will absorb some of the liquid as it starts to cook.
Place over medium-high heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to break up the beef into small, uniform crumbles. The mixture will bubble actively as the alcohol cooks off and the beef releases its juices.
⏱ 5 min
Add the thawed peas and grated ginger, stirring them through the beef mixture. Continue cooking for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beef is no longer pink but still looks moist and glossy. Remove from heat immediately.
⏱ 4 min
Spoon the beef mixture over bowls of hot rice and garnish with pickled ginger if using. The contrast between the warm, seasoned meat and cool, tangy ginger makes each bite more interesting.