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Sukiyaki (Highbury School 1974)

In 1974, my social studies teacher enjoyed cooking, so sometimes our lessons about other countries included tasting their food. The sukiyaki Rom made in electric frypans, served over rice and eaten with chopsticks, was my first introduction to Japanese flavors. It might have even been my first time trying any Asian food. The recipe arrived on a Banda machine printout, still carrying the scent of methylated spirits. Mrs Lundy added a handwritten note for my mum about where to find bamboo shoots. On the day, each mum prepared a dish in the kitchen next to the assembly hall.
That explains why the recipe was organized in such an unusual way. Everything needed to be prepared at home the night before. Rom chopped the ingredients, cooked the rice, and packed it all into plastic bags to bring to school the next day, along with the Sunbeam frying pan.
Looking back, I don’t think Rom was very impressed. She always seemed a little dismissive whenever I suggested we have sukiyaki for dinner.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 12 children

Equipment

  • 1 electric frypan

Ingredients

  • ¾ lb steak about 350g, cut in wafer thin strips about 2" wide and 5" long.
  • 2 Tbsps neutral oil
  • 3 Tbsps sugar heaped. 1 tbsp for the rice and 2 tbsp for the marinade
  • 2 Tbsps soy sauce
  • 1 tin stock beef or mushroom
  • 2 onions medium sliced in rings.
  • 1 tin mushrooms in butter sauce
  • 1 tin bamboo shoots
  • 1 bunch leeks finely sliced in rings. I suspect they meant spring onions.
  • 1 piece celery carrot or green pepper can be substituted
  • 1 lb rice about 450g
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • water enough water to cook the rice in

Instructions

Preparation - the night before

  • Marinate the steak, sugar, soy sauce and stock overnight, plus the tin of mushrooms.
    3/4 lb steak, 3 Tbsps sugar, 2 Tbsps soy sauce, 1 tin stock
  • Finely chop the leeks and put in a plastic bag – easy to add to the pan. Also the onion in a separate plastic bag. The bamboo shoots, carrot, celery and green pepper are alright together.
    2 onions, 1 bunch leeks, 1 piece celery
  • COOK RICE the night before and heat at 250°f for 3/4 hr before lunch. I add 1 tspn tumeric to make yellow rice. Children like this rice because it is sweeter.
    1 lb rice, 1 tsp turmeric, water, 1 Tbsp sugar

Start Cooking - in the classroom

  • About 45 mins before you intend eating. Pre-heat pan for 5 mins add oil, then steak mixture – use lid on frypan or the oil spatters.
    2 Tbsps neutral oil
  • When steak looks cooked, about 5 mins or less, add rest of vegetables with leeks last.
    1 tin mushrooms, 1 tin bamboo shoots, 1 Tbsp salt
  • If mixture looks dry add a sauce of sugar, water and soy sauce.

To Serve

  • Put rice in bottom of bowl, serve food on top. Spoon sauce from pan over top. Eat with chopsticks only.