Saikoro Steak with Charred Scallion and Ponzu Sauce

Love is not always about two lovebirds singing a love song for each other. Love can be a story about one soul finding happiness in her own presence, living in a solitude and not looking for a validation from the others. 

Food is how I expressing love…love for the other human being and love for myself. Spoiling myself with food it doesn’t mean I will gorging on a bowl of ice cream. Today I want to cook Saikoro steak for dinner. Of course wagyu beef is a bit expensive, but it doesn’t matter because I’ll cook for one, not for a bunch of people.

In Japanese Saikoro means dice. If you are on a tight budget or you cook for larger people cubes tenderloin is a good option. Just cut the tenderloin steak into a bite-size cube and flash cook it over medium-high heat until medium rare.

I made charred scallion and ponzu sauce to accompany my steak and also I made baked sweet potato and simple Asian-style slaw.

Saikoro Steak with Charred Scallion and Ponzu Sauce

• 250 g saikoro beef, room temperature
• sea salt and black pepper
• vegetable oil

Ponzu sauce

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 piece kombu
• 1/4 cup katsuobushi
• 2 tablespoons white rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes

Charred scallion and ponzu sauce

• 3 medium scallion
• 5 tablespoons neutral oil, vegetable or peanut oil
• 3 tablespoons ponzu sauce
• sea salt and black pepper

Direction

Ponzu sauce

1.  Combine vinegar, kombu, water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to simmer.
2. Remove from heat and stir in katsuobushi, let it steep for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Let the liquid to cool completely.
3. Combine the vinegar mixture with soy sauce, red chilli flakes, lemon and orange juice. Keep the ponzu in a sterilized mason jar.

Saikoro Steak with Charred Scallion and Ponzu Sauce

1. Separate scallions green from white. Finely chopped both green and white part, put it in a separate bowl.
2. Heat the cast-iron pan until very hot, add a little bit vegetable oil to the pan. Cook saikoro beef over high heat, for about 1 minute on each side. Remove the steak from the pan, season with flaky sea salt and let it rest on the plate, keep it warm.
3. In the same pan- with all the juices for the beef- heat 2 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook the green part of scallions until crisp and blackened around the edges, stirring often. Turn off the heat and add the white part of the scallion, stir to combine.
4. Put the scallion into a bowl and whisk in ponzu sauce and remaining vegetable oil. Serve steak with baked sweet potato, Asian slaw and drizzle with charred scallion and ponzu sauce.