Teriyaki Beef

Teriyaki sauce must be one of the most popular Japanese sauces the world over. The following recipe is my own interpretation, as I find I like less sugar than the amount the more authentic recipes call for. You don't need the most expensive steak for this either, because the marinade does a wonderful job of tenderising and mellowing meat. If you have problems tracking down Japanese ingredients, try www.clearspring.co.uk

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This recipe first appeared in Sainsbury’s Magazine (Oct 1994).

Method

Allow time for marinating the meat. This can be anything from overnight to a minimum of 1 hour before you cook the steaks. All you do is combine the soy sauce, saké, mirin, sugar, grated ginger and garlic, then place the steaks in a small, shallow dish, pour the marinade over, cover and leave them in a cool place, turning them once halfway through the marinating time.

Just before you cook the steaks, slice the remaining 2 cloves of garlic into rounds. Take the peeled daikon, grate it using the fine side of the grater, then squeeze it tightly in the palm of your hand to get rid of excess juices. Then take the green chilli, grate it and mix it in with the daikon. Now form the mix into two little cone-shaped mounds. To cook the steaks, pre-heat the oil in a good solid frying pan. Brown the garlic slices briefly, then remove them to a plate to keep warm. Now turn the heat to its highest setting and, when the pan is very hot, scrape the marinade off the steaks, reserving it, and place them in the pan.

Now reduce the heat to medium and cook the steaks for 4 minutes each side if you like them medium-rare, 3 if very rare and 5 if well-done. Watch them carefully because the marinade tends to brown them more quickly. Two minutes before the end of your cooking time, pour in the marinade and reduce it by about a third. Now transfer the steaks to a carving board and, using a sharp knife, cut them into diagonal slices. Season with Sansho pepper, spoon over the sauce, sprinkle the browned garlic on top and garnish with watercress and lemon wedges. Serve with the little mounds of grated daikon and chilli.