Beef Bulgogi Bowls Recipe in 20 Minutes

Instructions:

1. In a small glass bowl, whisk together the 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt until dissolved. Toss in your julienned carrots and sliced Persian cucumber. Note: The acidity starts breaking down the hemicellulose in the vegetables immediately, so let this sit while you cook the beef.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the 1 lb ground beef, breaking it into large chunks with a wooden spoon. Note: Do not over mix! Let it sit undisturbed for 3 minutes until a dark, mahogany crust forms on the bottom. This is where the gastronomy happens.
3. Once the beef is browned, drain any excess fat if necessary. Stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp grated ginger. Cook for 1 minute until the air smells intensely fragrant and spicy.
4. Pour in the 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Stir constantly as the sugar melts. Note: The sauce will begin to bubble and thicken into a syrupy lacquer that coats every morsel of beef.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and half of the sliced green onions. This prevents the sesame oil from losing its delicate scent through over heating.
6. In a small ramekin, whisk the 3 tbsp Kewpie mayo, 1 tbsp sriracha, and 1 tsp lime juice. The lime juice provides the necessary citric acid to cut through the richness of the mayo.
7. Divide the 3 cups of steamed jasmine rice into four bowls. Top each with a generous portion of the bulgogi beef. Note: Use a slotted spoon for the vegetables to keep the rice from getting too wet.
8. Arrange the pickled carrots and cucumbers on the side. Drizzle with the sriracha mayo and sprinkle with the remaining green onions. The visual contrast of the bright orange carrots against the dark beef is spectacular.