Colorful Three-Color Soboro Rice Bowl
Beginner-Friendly! Stunning Three-Color Soboro Rice Bowl Recipe (+Super Easy Teriyaki Sauce & Fluffy Scrambled Egg Secret)
I’ve perfectly recreated the Three-Color Soboro Rice Bowl, a dish that ranked number one in a school lunch survey! Enjoy the sweet and savory teriyaki sauce, crisp cucumber, and wonderfully moist scrambled eggs, all complemented by flavorful stir-fried beef. Mastering this one recipe opens the door to many other culinary adventures. It’s perfect for entertaining guests, special bento boxes, kid-friendly meals, or a satisfying single-dish meal. (I’ll also share the secret to making perfectly fluffy scrambled eggs!)
Main Ingredients- 300g Beef (ground or thinly sliced for stir-fry)
- 1 Cucumber
- 2 Eggs
- 2 bowls warm cooked rice
- 1 pan for sauce
- 1 pan for stir-frying beef
Seasoning & Sauce- Soy sauce
- Salt
- Minced garlic
- Sake (or Mirin)
- Mirin (or Sake)
- Sesame oil
- Sugar
- Water
- Black pepper
- Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
- Soy sauce
- Salt
- Minced garlic
- Sake (or Mirin)
- Mirin (or Sake)
- Sesame oil
- Sugar
- Water
- Black pepper
- Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Peel the cucumber thinly using a vegetable peeler. This helps it salt faster and reduces cooking time.
Step 2
Trim the ends of the cucumber, then cut it in half lengthwise. Stand the halves up and slice them thinly into strips.
Step 3
Using a teaspoon, gently scoop out the seedy core of the cucumber. This removes excess moisture, enhancing its crispiness.
Step 4
Slice the deseeded cucumber into thin strips, about 3mm thick.
Step 5
Place the sliced cucumber in a bowl and toss with 1/3 tablespoon of coarse salt (avoid fine salt). This step draws out moisture, making the cucumber delightfully crisp.
Step 6
In a separate bowl, combine the beef (300g) with 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce, 0.5 Tbsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper, 2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp sake, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp mirin. Mix well by hand to marinate the beef. This seasoning will add flavor and tenderness.
Step 7
Heat a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry. While 50g per serving is sufficient, making extra is great for other dishes like bibimbap or kimbap. (This beef and sauce alone can elevate any simple meal into a delicious rice bowl!)
Step 8
If your salted cucumber has released a good amount of water, your cucumber salting process was successful. This is key to achieving a crisp texture.
Step 9
Briefly rinse the salted cucumber under running water to remove excess salt, then squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands. Don’t worry about squeezing out every last drop; the remaining moisture will evaporate during stir-frying.
Step 10
If you’re short on time, you can use the cucumber as is. However, for an extra crisp texture, heat a dry pan over low heat and stir-fry the cucumber until its moisture evaporates and it becomes delightfully crunchy.
Step 11
Let’s make the super simple teriyaki sauce! In a pan, combine 6 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp sugar, 3 Tbsp mirin, 2 Tbsp sake, and 2 Tbsp water. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Once you see foam on the surface, turn off the heat after about 30 seconds. It’s incredibly easy and delicious!
Step 12
Crack 2 eggs into a bowl and whisk them. Here’s a pro tip for cracking eggs: Hold the egg in one hand, form a ‘V’ with your thumb and index finger, and press the middle of the shell to create a crack. Then, use your thumb to gently pull the shell apart to release the egg.
Step 13
Return the pan used for the cucumber to low heat and add a little cooking oil. Pour in the whisked eggs within a minute of turning on the heat. Tilt the pan to spread the egg thinly. When the edges start to set, have your chopsticks ready.
Step 14
Now for the scrambled egg magic! Using chopsticks, stir the eggs in a rhythmic motion, like conducting an orchestra. Perform this for 8 sets, stirring 4 times per set. (For a precise rhythm, check out my YouTube channel, ‘귀찮아서 하는 요리_귀요리’!)
Step 15
After completing the 8 sets (32 stirs in total), turn off the heat immediately, even if the eggs look slightly undercooked. They will finish cooking from the residual heat.
Step 16
Right after turning off the heat, quickly gather the eggs towards the center of the pan with your chopsticks. This reduces the surface area in contact with the hot pan, ensuring they cook gently from the residual heat for a moist interior. (I prefer this slightly undercooked texture, but if you like them firmer, continue cooking to your preference using the remaining heat!)
Step 17
Place a bowl of warm rice on a plate. Artfully arrange the stir-fried beef, crisp cucumber, and moist scrambled eggs in a line on top of the rice. The vibrant colors alone will whet your appetite.
Step 18
Serve the finished Three-Color Soboro Rice Bowl with about 2-3 tablespoons of the homemade teriyaki sauce (adjust to taste). Serving 4 tablespoons initially makes it look generous. You can say, “I made this sauce myself, I hope you like it!” to highlight your effort. Enjoy your meal! ♡
