RECIPE
Hayashi Rice is a popular beef stew in Japan. My version has big hunks of melt-in-your-mouth beef with onions and mushrooms in a tangy tomato and red wine sauce that's brimming with umami.
FOR BEEF 550 grams beef chuck (cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes) 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil FOR MUSHROOMS 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 200 grams crimini mushrooms ( 300 grams shimeji mushrooms 200 grams enoki mushrooms 1/2 teaspoon salt FOR AROMATICS 700 grams onion (sliced 1/2-inch thick) 25 grams garlic (minced) 1/4 cup water
FOR STEW 2 cups beef stock 1 cup red wine 3 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons ketchup 2 tablespoons chunou sauce 1 tablespoon mild honey 2 teaspoons porcini powder FOR ROUX 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2
Add the butter, mushrooms and salt into a large pot over medium-low heat and cover with a lid. Steam for 10 minutes.
3
Remove the lid and turn up the heat to burn off the liquid released by the mushrooms, saute until they start to brown.
4
Remove the mushrooms from the pot and then add the olive oil and beef in a single layer and brown on one side (about 3 minutes).
5
Flip the beef over over and brown the other side. Transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside.
6
Use the same process as with the mushrooms to steam and brown the onions.
7
Add all of the "stew" ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil. Use a skimmer to skim off any scum that floats to the surface.
8
Cover the pot with a lid and cook the Hayashi Rice for 2 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender. Stir periodically and skim off any excess oil.
9
When the beef is tender, return the mushrooms to the pot and stir them in.
10
Add the flour and butter for the roux into a frying pan and cook until the roux is golden brown.
11
Add a few ladles of braising liquid from the stew into the roux and mix together until smooth.
12
Add the roux into the Hayashi Rice and stir it in until the sauce has thickened.