Buttered steak and mushroom rice bowl

Add a teaspoon of chilli oil to the soy cured egg yolks and to the rice bowl to add complexity. You can cut the steak into cubes or slices. 

Serves 2

1. Season the steak generously on both sides with ½ teaspoon of salt and 2 pinches of black pepper. Rub the vegetable oil onto the steak on both sides.
2. Heat a frying pan over a high heat until it’s smoking. Add the oiled steak and let it sit for 2 minutes to form a lovely crust. Flip onto the opposite side, add 2 teaspoons of the butter and use it to baste the steak. Cook for a further 2 minutes. This steak will be medium rare – adjust the timings according to your steak preference.
3. Remove the steak from the pan to a piece of foil big enough to wrap the steak. Pour the buttery juices over the steak and wrap it up to rest.
4. Heat the same frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of butter and the garlic.
5. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are wilted, then season with ¼ teaspoon of salt.
6. Add the cooked sushi rice and mix well.
7. Using a silicone spatula or the back of a wooden spoon, level the rice and gently push down to compress the rice a little. Reduce the heat to medium–low, cover and cook for 4–5 minutes to heat through and form a light, crispy crust.
8. Meanwhile, slice the steak 1cm (½ inch) thick and reserve all the meat juices in the foil.
9. Mix up the rice a little and divide between two medium serving bowls. Drizzle over the seasoned soy sauce, arrange the steak slices on top and pour over all of the buttery meat juices. Serve, with soy-cured egg yolks on top, if you like.

Seasoned soy sauce - Makes 125ml (4fl oz)

• This is a multi-purpose soy sauce that you can use to dress, drizzle and jazzle!
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 spring onion (scallion), roughly chopped
• thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced
• 2½ tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 5 teaspoons granulated (white) sugar
• ½ teaspoon MSG
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
• 90ml (3fl oz) water

STEPS

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the spring onion and ginger and sauté until softened and caramelised. Take care not to burn them.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and leave to cool.
4. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a jar and discard the solids.
5. It will keep in the refrigerator for 4 weeks. Use as required

Soy-cured egg yolks - Makes 4

This is one of the easiest umami-packed dishes you can make with just three ingredients. It adds richness and instant flavour to meat or rice.

• 1½ tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 4 eggs

STEPS

1. In a small mixing bowl or container, mix the soy sauce and mirin together.
2. Carefully separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Make sure the yolks do not break. (You can save the egg whites for using in other recipes.)
3. Let the yolks sit in the soy sauce cure for a minimum of 4 hours. The sweet spot for me is 6 hours.

To serve, lift the yolks out carefully and mix into rice, along with some of the soy sauce cure.

Book Credit: Rice by Ping Coombes is published by Murdoch Books, £26.00, www.murdochbooks.co.uk

Image Credit: © Sam Folan 2026