Japanese cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Yakiniku

Paper-thin slices of beef straight off the hot grill, dipped in a nutty sauce of soy sauce, sesame, and apple.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 700g beef (rump or sirloin)
• 6 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 apple
• 3 garlic cloves
• 20g ginger
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 4 spring onions
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Freeze the beef for 20 minutes, then slice it against the grain into 2–3mm thin slices.
2. Finely grate the apple and ginger, press the garlic, and stir together with the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar into a dipping sauce.
3. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes until fragrant, crush coarsely in a mortar, and mix into the sauce.
4. Cut the spring onions into fine rings and put them in a bowl for topping.
5. Brush a grill plate or heavy pan with sesame oil and get it very hot; season the slices with salt and pepper and grill for just 40–60 seconds per side.
6. Dip straight from the grill into the sauce, sprinkle with spring onions, and eat while the next batch sizzles.