Braised Lotus Roots and Beef (Shigureni) is the ultimate sweet-and-savoury topping to enjoy with cooked rice. The refreshing ginger flavour makes it even more appetising. It is very similar to my other Shigureni recipe, Braised Beef and Burdock with Ginger. Instead of shaved burdock, I used thinly sliced lotus roots.
Don't forget to see the section 'MEAL IDEAS' below the recipe card! It gives you a list of dishes that I have already posted and this recipe that can make up a complete meal. I hope it is of help to you.
- 250g / 0.6lb beef (thinly sliced into bite-size pieces, note 1)
- 250g / 0.6lb lotus roots (note 2)
- 30g / 1.1oz ginger (finely julienned)
- 1 tbsp oil
- 6 tbsp water
- 6 tbsp cooking sake
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp mirin
- 2½ tbsp sugar
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Cut the lotus roots crosswise into 2mm-thick / 3⁄32"-thick round slices. Cut each slice into quarter-circle wedges (note 3).
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Set aside a small amount of the julienned ginger for garnish.
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Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
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Sauté the lotus root and ginger for about 1½ minutes, ensuring that the lotus root slices are separated and slightly cooked.
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Add all the Simmering Sauce ingredients to the pan and mix well.
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When the sauce comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and add the beef, untangling and spreading the slices evenly in the pan.
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Bring the heat up to medium and cook for about 15-20 minutes (note 4), until the sauce has almost evaporated.
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Transfer the Shigureni to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved julienned ginger on top.
1. In Japan, people use thin off-cuts of beef see the sample photo in the post). The off-cuts can come from various cuts of beef such as round, short ribs, belly, chuck, etc. Since the pieces are irregular in size and shape and often come from a mix of different cuts, thin off-cuts of meat are flavourful and budget friendly.
You can thinly slice beef yourself or buy frozen sliced beef from Asian grocery stores.
2. Lotus root is in season during autumn and winter. It is often sold at Asian grocery stores. Fresh lotus root is the best, but you can use frozen thinly sliced lotus root if fresh lotus root is unavailable.
3. It is quicker to quarter the whole root lengthwise and then slice it thinly. However, this method tends to break some of the flesh inside the holes, making the distinctive hole pattern look untidy. That’s why I sliced the lotus root first.
4. The time required to reduce the sauce will depend on the strength of the heat level and the size of the frying pan.
5. Shigureni keeps well in the fridge for about 4-5 days. It is also perfect for packing into a bento box.
6. Nutrition per serving.
serving: 208g calories: 270kcal fat: 8.5g (13%) saturated fat: 1.8g (9%) trans fat: 0g polyunsaturated fat: 2.6g monounsaturated fat: 3.7g cholesterol: 46mg (15%) sodium: 201mg (8%) carbohydrates: 26g (8%) dietary fibre: 3g (12%) sugar: 12.6g protein: 15.0g vitamin a: 0.1mcg (0%) calcium: 47mg (5%) iron: 2.3mg (13%) potassium: 652mg (18%)