I first tasted this fabulous and unusual way of cooking beef at one of my favorite traditional inns, and it continues to be one of the most delicious Japanese main dishes I’ve ever tasted. It leaves you satisfied without feeling stuffed—because of the miso, a little goes a long way, and it’s a great way to cut down on how much red meat you need to feel satisfied!
You can also eat it over rice, to make it a more substantial meal.
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Miso Beef in Lettuce Wraps
Serves 4
Ingredients:
12 ounces (340g) tender beef (your favorite kind of steak would be perfect)
2 T. (30ml) canola oil (or other flavorless vegetable oil)
1 T. (15ml) roasted sesame oil
1 yellow onion
4 leeks or 6 green onions
1 knob ginger , peeled and grated (about 1 T./15ml)
1/4 cup (60ml) mirin
1/4 cup (60ml) sake
1 T. (15ml) soy sauce
1/4 cup (60ml) white miso
2 t. (10g) sugar
12 lettuce leaves for wrapping
Optional (but recommended) topping:
Japanese pickled ginger (like the kind they serve with sushi), chopped
Directions:
Cut beef into thin slices, then cut slices into strips.
Cut onion in half, then in thin slices, then cut the slices into wedges.
Thinly slice white and pale green parts of leeks/green onions
In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the soy sauce, sugar and miso. Set aside.
Heat a saucepan or frying pan over medium heat. When it’s hot, add canola oil, sesame oil and yellow onions. Cook until onions begin to soften. Add green onions and cook until they separate into rings and become soft.
Stir in mirin and sake. Bring to a boil and simmer until you can’t smell the alcohol anymore (about 1 minute). Add miso mixture and stir until sauce is smooth and bubbling. Add the grated ginger. (Fresh ginger loses its flavor quickly when cooked, so it’s always best to put it in near the end!)
Add beef and stir until meat is no longer raw. Don’t overcook—it can still be a little pink, like steak cooked medium rare—because it will continue to cook in the sauce as you serve it.
To serve:
Hold a lettuce leaf in the palm of your hand and spoon the miso beef down the center of it. To add a little extra spicy crunch, top with chopped pickled ginger. Fold the sides around the filling and enjoy!
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly Japanagram newsletter, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
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