Meatless Yakiniku Pepper Lunch Recipe

Here’s our meatless version of the world-famous Pepper Lunch. Just grill all ingredients and add the sauce! Super easy. Really.

We know not everyone has a hot plate sitting at home. So, we actually tried out 2 versions. One using a hot plate à la Pepper Lunch and one using a regular skillet. The sauce can be store-bought but if you would like to do it from scratch, we’ve provided details below too.

Serves 1

Ingredients

I pack of Next Meats Yakiniku Skirt Steak Style or Next Meats Yakiniku Short Rib Style

Karakuchi (Garlic – Soy Sauce)

• ¼ teaspoon oil
• 1 garlic peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoon tamari (soy) sauce
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 
• ¼ cup water + 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Rice

• 1 serving of cooked Japanese rice
• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ clove garlic peeled and minced
• ¼ teaspoon pepper 
• ¼ cup corn
• 1 teaspoon butter or margarine. Try it with Whipped Garlic Parmesan Butter
• 1 tablespoon spring onions or scallions, thinly sliced for garnish – optional
• ¼ cup of shredded cheese of your choice – optional

Instructions for Sauces

Amakuchi Sauce

1. Mix honey, soy sauce, mushroom oyster sauce, and water.
2. In a small pan add the sauce mix.
3. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes and set aside.

Karakuchi Sauce

1. In a small pan add oil and then garlic and sauté until slightly aromatic.
2. Add the tamari (soy sauce) and pepper.
3. In a bowl, mix the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry. Slowly add it to the karakuchi sauce and cook until it boils and slightly thickens. Set aside.

Instructions for Rice Using a Hot Plate

1. Heat up hot plate till it is warm.
2. Grease it with a tablespoon of neutral oil or butter or margarine.
3. Add garlic.
4. Place cooked rice in the middle of the pan or hot plate. You can pack the rice into a bowl before placing it in the hotpot to get the rice into a dome. A little caution here. The hot plate will be hot.
5. Bring up the temperature of the hot plate. Place Next Meats Yakiniku slices around the rice.
6. Add pepper.
7. Top the rice with butter, followed by corn.
8. Pour the amakuchi and karakuchi sauces and start mixing everything together. If you prefer a drier version, save half the sauce for dipping.
9. Top with spring onions or scallions, and cheese if you prefer.
10. Enjoy!

Instructions for Rice Using a Skillet

Yakiniku Slices

1. Heat up a skillet till it is warm.
2. Grease it with a tablespoon of neutral oil or butter or margarine.
3. Grill the Next Meats Yakiniku slices for about 5 mins till it’s slightly dry. Set aside.

Rice

1. Heat up a skillet till it is warm.
2. Grease it with a tablespoon of neutral oil or butter or margarine. We used butter.
3. Add garlic and just sauté until slightly aromatic.
4. Pour in the cooked rice.
5. Add remaining butter, followed by corn. The corn can be grilled separately too, if you prefer
6. Pour half the amakuchi and karakuchi sauces and start mixing everything together. If you prefer a drier version, add less than half the sauce and save it for dipping.
7. Pack the fried rice into a bowl.
8. Plate it by turning the bowl of rice onto the middle of a plate.
9. Add the grilled yakiniku slices around it. Pour some amakuchi and karakuchi sauce over the ‘meat’.
10. Top with spring onions or scallions.
11. Enjoy!