Colorful Three-Color Soboro Rice Bowl Lunchbox
A Vibrant Three-Color Soboro Rice Bowl, Perfect for a Picnic Lunchbox
When you think of picnic lunchboxes, kimbap often comes to mind. But today, we’ve prepared a simple yet elegant Soboro Rice Bowl. This dish features a beautiful medley of colors and flavors, making it a feast for both the eyes and the palate. It’s perfect for special occasions, picnics, or any outdoor gathering!
Main Ingredients- Beef 350g
- Cucumber 1.5 medium
- Eggs 4 large
Seasonings & Others- For cucumber seasoning: Salt 1/4 tsp
- For egg mixture: Milk 1 Tbsp, Mirin (or rice wine) 1 Tbsp, Salt 1/4 tsp, Sugar 1 tsp
- For scrambled eggs: Butter or cooking oil, as needed
- For beef seasoning: Soy sauce 3 Tbsp, Mirin (or rice wine) 1/2 Tbsp, Sugar 1/2 Tbsp, Minced garlic 1 Tbsp, Minced green onion 1 Tbsp, Black pepper, a pinch
- For rice seasoning (vinegar dressing): Vinegar 2 Tbsp, Sugar 1 Tbsp, Salt 1/2 tsp
- For garnish: Sesame seeds 1 Tbsp, Sesame oil 1/2 Tbsp
- For cucumber seasoning: Salt 1/4 tsp
- For egg mixture: Milk 1 Tbsp, Mirin (or rice wine) 1 Tbsp, Salt 1/4 tsp, Sugar 1 tsp
- For scrambled eggs: Butter or cooking oil, as needed
- For beef seasoning: Soy sauce 3 Tbsp, Mirin (or rice wine) 1/2 Tbsp, Sugar 1/2 Tbsp, Minced garlic 1 Tbsp, Minced green onion 1 Tbsp, Black pepper, a pinch
- For rice seasoning (vinegar dressing): Vinegar 2 Tbsp, Sugar 1 Tbsp, Salt 1/2 tsp
- For garnish: Sesame seeds 1 Tbsp, Sesame oil 1/2 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the 1.5 cucumbers thoroughly. Remove the seedy core and slice them thinly. Slicing them thinly, almost like julienned, will give a pleasant texture.
Step 2
Place the sliced cucumbers in a bowl and season with 1/4 tsp of salt. Gently mix and let them sit for about 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture. This step is crucial to prevent the cucumbers from becoming watery when stir-fried, ensuring a crisp texture.
Step 3
After salting, squeeze out as much water as possible from the cucumbers by hand. Then, heat a pan over high heat (no oil needed) and quickly stir-fry the cucumbers. Stir-frying over high heat helps preserve their vibrant green color, making the dish visually appealing.
Step 4
Spread the stir-fried cucumbers out on a plate to cool. Cooling them separately prevents the rice from becoming mushy and helps maintain the temperature of the other ingredients when assembled.
Step 5
In a bowl, crack the 4 eggs. Add 1 Tbsp of milk, 1 Tbsp of mirin (or rice wine), 1/4 tsp of salt, and 1 tsp of sugar. Whisk everything together until well combined and smooth, ensuring there are no lumps. Adding milk makes the scrambled eggs exceptionally tender.
Step 6
Heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat and add a little butter or cooking oil. Pour in the whisked egg mixture and stir gently as it cooks to make scrambled eggs. Avoid overcooking; they should remain moist for a soft texture. Once cooked, chop the scrambled eggs into smaller pieces.
Step 7
Pat the 350g of beef dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a separate bowl, combine the beef with 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 Tbsp mirin, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp minced green onion, and a pinch of black pepper. Mix well by hand to ensure the beef is evenly coated.
Step 8
Heat a pan over high heat and stir-fry the marinated beef quickly. Continue to cook until all the liquid from the beef has evaporated. This ensures the rice bowl won’t be watery and the flavors are concentrated. (You can also use ground beef for this step.)
Step 9
Prepare the rice by mixing in the vinegar dressing: combine 2 Tbsp vinegar, 1 Tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix well into warm rice until evenly coated. In your lunchbox, spread a layer of the seasoned rice thinly. Neatly arrange the stir-fried cucumber, scrambled eggs, and seasoned beef on top, alternating colors for a visually appealing presentation. Finally, sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sesame seeds and drizzle with 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil to complete your vibrant Three-Color Soboro Rice Bowl lunchbox!
