Yakiniku Rice Burger

Ingredients

• 3 cup warm cooked short-grain rice (Approximately 3 cups; use while warm and sticky)
• 1 tbsp katakuriko (potato starch)
• salt (A pinch)
• sesame oil (For pan-frying the rice buns)
• soy sauce and mirin (For brushing the rice buns; combine in a 1:1 ratio and apply at the end)
• 12 oz thin-sliced beef (The source also describes this as approximately 250 g)
• 54 g soy sauce (For the yakiniku marinade)
• 60 g sugar (For the yakiniku marinade)
• 40 g mirin (For the yakiniku marinade)
• 20 g sake (For the yakiniku marinade)
• 0.25 tsp grated garlic (For the yakiniku marinade)
• lettuce (Optional, for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   While the short-grain rice is still warm and sticky, mix in the katakuriko and a pinch of salt until thoroughly combined.

2. 2

   Press the rice firmly into a flat, even sheet or into discs using plastic wrap or a ring mold. Make four rice buns total—two buns for each burger—and press hard so they hold together.

3. 3

   Refrigerate the pressed rice for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour so it firms up and crisps more effectively.

4. 4

   Mix the soy sauce and mirin in a 1:1 ratio for brushing the rice buns.

5. 5

   Heat sesame oil in a pan. Cook the rice buns over low heat until lightly browned, golden, and crisp on both sides. The source also gives air-frying or baking at approximately 200°C as alternatives for cooking a batch.

6. 6

   After a crust has formed, brush the rice buns with the soy-mirin mixture at the very end so the coating does not burn.

7. 7

   Combine the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sake, and grated garlic to make the yakiniku marinade. Make enough marinade to coat the beef well; the source advises discarding excess marinade afterward so the beef does not become too salty.

8. 8

   Add the thin-sliced beef to the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

9. 9

   Lift the beef out of the marinade and pan-fry it in a hot pan until cooked, glazed, and slightly charred. Do not reduce the glaze too far.

10. 10

    Stack the cooked yakiniku between two crispy rice buns. Add lettuce if desired and serve hot.

Notes

The source text ends with an incomplete tip: “Tip, I would make e”. No further tip was available. The marinade is intentionally made in excess for coating; discard the excess after removing the beef. The transcript additionally specifies pressing the rice with a weight while refrigerating and using a 9 cm ring mold, but the written recipe presents ring molds or plastic wrap and does not specify a required mold size.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Japanese
• East Asian
• beef
• rice burger
• pan-fried
• crispy rice
• street food