← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 400 g thinly sliced beef, cut into bite-size pieces
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 2 Onion, thinly sliced
• 200 g button and shimeji mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove Garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp Plain (all-purpose) flour
• 120 ml Red wine
• 400 ml Beef stock
• 300 ml tomato juice or passata
• 2 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 3 tbsp Ketchup
• 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tsp Brown sugar
• 1 Bay leaves
• 600 g hot cooked rice
• 2 tbsp cooked green peas (optional)

Method

1. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the oil and 1 tbsp butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and quickly brown the beef for 2 min. Lift it out.
2. Add the remaining butter and the onions. Cook over medium heat for 12–15 min, stirring often, until soft and deep golden: this sweetness is the heart of the sauce.
3. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for 3 min, then sprinkle over the flour and stir for 2 min until it smells nutty.
4. Pour in the red wine and let it bubble for 1 minute, then add the stock, tomato juice, tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce, sugar and bay leaf. Stir until smooth.
5. Return the beef and simmer gently, uncovered, for 15–20 min, stirring now and then, until thick and glossy. Taste and adjust with salt.
6. Spoon the rice to one side of each plate, pour the hayashi sauce beside it and scatter with peas.

Tips

• Ready-made hayashi roux blocks are sold next to the curry roux in Japanese shops if you want a shortcut.
• The alcohol simmers off; swap the wine for more stock if you prefer.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Just One Cookbook Japanese Cooking 101 Chopstick Chronicles