STEAK PEPPER LUNCH
This is steak and rice, elevated & inspired by a popular fast food chain from Tokyo.
I’m not one to tell you how or when to enjoy your food, so please don’t take the name too literally. This dish is inspired by a popular fast food chain from Tokyo, where they serve a beef pepper lunch quite similar to this one. I’ve swapped the thinly sliced beef for a thick cut of sirloin and made a few changes to the sauce and garnishes. This is steak and rice, elevated and the sauce is the star of the show here.
Ingredients:
Thick sirloin steak
1 small yellow onion
1 cooked corn cob
150g sushi rice
1 egg
Sauce:
4 cloves garlic
4 cm piece of ginger
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp sriracha caramel (or substitute with 1 tbsp honey + 1 tbsp sriracha)
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp white pepper
To Garnish:
Chives
20g square of butter
Method
Step 1: We’re starting off with an optional step that takes just 30 seconds but will make your steak so much better. Generously salt your steak and place it on a rack, uncovered, in the fridge overnight. This is called a dry brine, the salt will be absorbed and deeply season the steak, while also drying out the exterior, which helps develop a better crust.
Step 2: Take the steak out of the fridge one hour before you plan to cook it, so it can come up to room temperature.
Step 3: Let’s start by making the rice. Sushi rice is naturally sticky, but that doesn’t mean it has to be stodgy. To get it right, rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
Tip: I usually find it takes about three washes. Make sure to get your hands in there and really rub the grains together as you wash. Then soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes, this helps plump it up and ensures the grains stay separate and fluffy after cooking.
Step 4: Once soaked, strain the rice one last time and add it to a pot with 190 ml of fresh water. Turn the heat to high.
Step 5: When the water starts to simmer, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 12 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let the rice steam, still covered, for another 12 minutes.
Step 6: Fluff the rice gently with a wooden spoon.
Step 7: While the rice is cooking, start the sauce. It's super simple: add finely chopped garlic and ginger to a pot with a dash of oil and cook until fragrant (about a minute).
Step 8: Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes, until it thickens slightly.
Step 9: Whichever pan you’re using, place it over medium-high heat and let it get hot. Add a tablespoon of high smoke point oil. Tip: I recommend using a stainless steel or cast iron pan for cooking steak, they hold heat well and make it easier to get a good sear.
Step 10: Start by placing your steak fat cap down to render some of the fat and get a nice color. Then sear the steak on its side. Tip: I like to turn the steak every minute or so until it reaches an internal temperature of 52°C. Once rested, this should give you a perfect medium-rare. If you enjoy cooking steak, a meat probe is a game changer, there are budget-friendly options available for as little as £5, and they take the guesswork out of getting your steak just right.
Step 11: While the steak is resting, discard half of the fat from the pan. Cook the corn and thinly sliced onion in the remaining steak juices.
Tip: You can cook them separately for presentation or throw them in together. I also like to trim a bit of fat off the steak beforehand and add it at this stage for extra beefy flavour.
Step 12: The beauty of this dish is that it’s served directly in the pan. Give each component its own corner, make a well in the rice for the egg yolk, and pour the sauce over the steak. I took my time with plating, so things cooled down a bit, but since it’s all in the pan, I just placed it back over the heat for a minute to warm everything through.
