MEGA BEEF BOWL INSPIRED BY PERSONA 4

For the Dashi

Begin by decapitating your Niboshi. Remove the heads to avoid bitter flavors.

In a medium container, combine headless Niboshi and 1 qt of water. Set aside, allowing the fish to soak for 20-30 minutes.

While the Niboshi are soaking, in a stock pot, combine Bonito Flakes, dried Shiitake mushrooms, and Kombu with several quarts of water.

Transfer the Niboshi and its broth to the stock pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes to let the flavors infuse.

Strain the broth using a mesh sieve and set aside.

For the Rice

Measure short grain white rice according to your rice cooker and rinse under cold water until it runs clear to remove excess starch.

Add the rinsed rice to your rice cooker and fill with water until it reaches the first knuckle of your index finger when touching the rice (an old Asian cooking trick).

Close the lid, hit the cook button, and let the rice cook. Make 2 batches.

For the Sauce

Slice onions into rounds. Not too thin in favor of adding texture to the dish. Set aside.

Slice ribeye into manageable sections. Avoid cutting them too small. You want the meat to stay tender, not fall apart.

In a large pan, combine Dashi, Mirin, soy sauce, and granulated sugar.

Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer.

While the sauce simmers, add onions in batches first (they take longer to tenderize), and then add the beef in small portions.

Cook until the beef is no longer pink, stirring constantly to keep it from sticking together.

Using tongs, transfer the beef and onions to a separate bowl, leaving the sauce behind to cook the next round of beef and onions.

Repeat until all the beef and onions are cooked, about 30 minutes. Using a cheesecloth, strain cloudy sauce to remove unwanted sediment.

For the Assembly

Heat a small pan with butter, crack your egg, and fry until you have a perfectly smooth, sunny-side-up egg.

If you want it picture-perfect, carefully trim the edges for that 'anime' look.

In a serving bowl (mega bowl!) big enough to fit all of the rice, beef, and onions, add all of the freshly cooked rice to the bowl (about 2 rice cookers' worth).

Pile on every ounce of tender beef and onions.

Finally, top it all off with the sunny-side-up egg as your crown jewel.

Ladle the sweet, savory sauce back over the beef and rice to bring everything together.

Serve hot.