Bullet train ekiben (eki means “train” and ben is short for “bento”) are packaged meals commonly available at train stations in Japan to be eaten on the train. They can be sweet or savoury, come in a variety of flavours, and be cold or warm. In the movie, Rengoku eats several ekiben, specifically gyudon (beef bowl), which he seems to really enjoy with his multiple exclamations of “umai!” (delicious!).

Gyudon

Servings Yield: 2

Minutes Prep: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

Sauce

– 2 tablespoons sake

– 2 tablespoons mirin

– 2 tablespoons soy sauce

– 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Beef

– 4 scallions, white parts only, Trimmed

– 1 tablespoon beef fat or vegetable oil

– 4 ounces (113 g) medium-firm tofu, cut in half crosswise and then sliced into 1 × 2-inch (2.5 × 5 cm) rectangles

– Salt and black pepper, to taste

– 1 small onion, thinly sliced

– 10 ounces (283 g) thinly sliced rib-eye, at room temperature

For assembly

– 1 soft-boiled egg, sliced in half lengthwise (see Ponyo’s Ham

– Ramen

– Cooked short-grain white rice

– Red pickled ginger (beni shoga)

Directions:

1 To make the sauce: In a small pot, combine all the sauce ingredients over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2 To make the beef: Heat a medium skillet over medium heat, then add the scallions and cook until charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the scallions from the pan, then melt the beef fat or heat the oil and cook the tofu until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the tofu from the pan, then add the onions
and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes.

3 Add the sliced rib-eye to the pan in a single layer. Pour in the sauce, toss to coat the beef, and then remove from the heat. (Thinly sliced rib-eye should not take more than 2 minutes to cook to preserve its tenderness.)

4 To assemble: Add the cooked rice to each bowl as the base and top with some sweet and-savoury beef, then arrange the toppings of a sliced soft-boiled-egg half, 2 charred scallions, panfried tofu, and pickled ginger. Serve hot or cold.

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