Korean Bulgogi Mushroom Rice Bowl
Quick answer
Soy-and-pear-juice-marinated beef is stir-fried together with torn oyster mushrooms and served over rice for a deeply savory bowl.
What makes this special
- Asian pear enzymes tenderize beef for mushroom-bulgogi-deopbap, keeping each slice soft.
- Asian pear juice contains enzymes that visibly tenderize the beef even in a short marinade
- Mushrooms stir-fried before the beef to evaporate moisture so the sauce stays concentrated
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Loosen the 220 g thin-sliced beef so the pieces do not clump.
- 2 Tear the 140 g oyster mushrooms into strips along their grain, and slice the...
- 3 Heat a pan over medium heat and add a little sesame oil.
Soy-and-pear-juice-marinated beef is stir-fried together with torn oyster mushrooms and served over rice for a deeply savory bowl. Cooking the mushrooms first in the hot pan allows their excess moisture to evaporate, keeping the sauce thick and glossy once the marinated beef goes in rather than pooling at the bottom. Pear juice contains natural tenderizing enzymes that soften the beef fibers noticeably even after a short marinating time, and its understated sweetness bridges the saltiness of the soy sauce without adding a fruity flavor. A drizzle of sesame oil at the end of stir-frying lays a toasted, nutty fragrance over the sweet-salty glaze that rounds out the whole bowl. When pear juice is not available, one teaspoon of sugar dissolved in one tablespoon of water provides a workable substitute that approximates the sweetness without the tenderizing effect.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Loosen the 220 g thin-sliced beef so the pieces do not clump.
Mix it with 2 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp pear juice, 1 tsp minced garlic, and black pepper, then marinate for 10 minutes.
- 2Heat
Tear the 140 g oyster mushrooms into strips along their grain, and slice the 100 g onion thinly so it softens quickly.
Keep 2 cups cooked rice warm before stir-frying.
- 3Control
Heat a pan over medium heat and add a little sesame oil.
Stir-fry the onion for about 1 minute, just until it starts turning translucent, then add the torn mushrooms.
- 4Control
Increase to medium-high heat and stir-fry the mushrooms for about 3 minutes to drive off moisture.
If liquid collects on the pan bottom, keep cooking until it mostly evaporates so the sauce will not turn watery.
- 5Control
Add the marinated beef with its remaining sauce and stir-fry over high heat for about 2 minutes.
As the beef turns from red to gray-brown, separate any clumped slices so they cook evenly.
- 6Control
When the sauce reduces to a glossy coating and only a little liquid remains, turn off the heat.
Drizzle in the remaining sesame oil, then spoon the beef and mushrooms over the warm rice.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
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