Shigure means “autumn shower” and ni refers to a style of cooking by simmering. Put them together and you have a great tasting dish of simmered beef. Why shigure? The dish actually got its name because it is said that it’s flavor is ‘as intense and fleeting as an autumn rain’. With such a beautiful name, you can’t help but enjoy this intensely flavorful dish!
Beef shigureni is a quick main dish to make on a busy night. The intense flavor is very satisfying, leaving you wanting more just as the name suggests! I like to make extra for later, because it always seems to taste better the second day. With so much flavor, it’s quite delicious hot or cold, so leftovers are a great choice to use for an onigiri filling or the main portion of a lunch bento.
What I love most about his dish is that it reminds me of the very popular beef sukiyaki, but without all the fuss of the hotpot and cooking at the table. Not only do they taste similar, but they even use the same beef! The key to a great tasting shigureni is using thinly sliced beef for quick cooking, just like with sukiyaki. If you can find sukiyaki ready beef in your grocery store, you’re all set! If not, you can easily cut your own from a steak of your choice (rib eye or strip loin are best though!) If you love sukiyaki, you’ll enjoy the sweet yet savory flavor of this simple dish!
Recipe – Simmered Beef with Ginger – Beef Shigureni:
– If not already sliced, slice the beef into thin strips for quick and easy cooking.
– Slice the onion into long strips.
– Grate the ginger using a hand grater or finely mince by hand. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Once warm, add the ginger and fry for about a minute until fragrant.
– Add the beef and onion to the pan and fry for 5 minutes. We don’t need to fully cook the meat, we just want to get the flavor started, so don’t worry about cooking it all the way through!
– Once the edges have started to brown, add the sake, mirin, sugar and soy sauce and let simmer for about 10 minutes until most of the liquid has been evaporated.
– While the beef is simmering, toast the sesame seeds. Put a small pan on the burner over medium high heat, and once hot add the sesame seeds. Toast them for a few minutes, until they smell fragrant and the edges turn light brown.
– Once most of the liquid has been evaporated, add the toasted sesame to the beef and stir to coat.
– Serve hot over a bed of rice, and enjoy!
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