In these self-isolating times, many may wish they could self-isolate from the refigerator. But don’t despair for healthy, non-fattening food. Aya Nishimura has produced a book full of delicious, generally low-fat Japanese dishes. Japanese Food Made Easy (Murdoch Books) features a selection of excellent Japanese recipes that are bound to have your mouth watering.
Serves:4
Preparation:20 minutes
Cooking:5 minutes
This is a super-easy, delicious meal for entertaining. The key is using the tail of a beef fillet, which is thinner (and much cheaper), so it will cook very quickly. This recipe will also work well with sirloin steak.
Ingredients
400 g (14 oz) good-quality beef fillet tail
1/4 cup (60 ml) clementine juice or orange juice
1 garlic clove, crushed with the back of a knife but left whole
1 onion, thinly sliced and kept in cold water
2 cups (60 g) watercress, washed
200 g (7 oz) daikon radish, finely grated (optional)
sea salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sake
1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Method
Take the beef out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature. Season with sea salt and pepper.
To make the sauce, gently heat the mirin and sake in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the soy sauce, vinegar, clementine juice and crushed garlic.
Heat a frying pan over medium–high heat. Sear the beef for about 1–2 minutes on all sides. Remove from the heat and leave the beef to rest for at least 10 minutes.
Drain the onion and combine with the watercress on a serving plate. Cut the beef into 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick slices and add to the salad. Serve with the sauce drizzled over the top. Drain any excess liquid from the grated daikon, and add it to the salad just before serving.
Tip
You could make a larger batch of sauce and keep it in a clean screw-top jar for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
We have a copy of Japanese Food Made Easy to give away to a lucky Starfish reader. Simply email us at info@thestarfish.com.au telling us what’s keeping you occupied during these unusual times, and provide your name and mailing address. If not subscribed to the site, be sure to fill in our subscription window. Good luck!
Images and text from Japanese Food Made Easy by Aya Nishimura, photography by Lisa Linder. Murdoch Books RRP $39.99
