Teriyaki Beef & Tofu Puff Miso Soup

Rarely do I ever buy beef, but I broke down this past weekend and bought some.  It's so expensive sometimes, even though I bought beef shoulder, which is supposedly a cheaper and thus tougher cut of meat.  I also couldn't decide whether I wanted soup or not, so I made both!  Hmm... unfortunately I don't have a whole lot to say on this one, but it was very delicious.  ^_^

Teriyaki Beef & Tofu Puff Miso Soup

Ingredients:

1/4 lb. beef shoulder
1/8 green bell pepper, seeded
handful of frozen, blanched green beans
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. mirin
1 Tbsp. sake
vegetable oil
1 1/4 c. water
1/4 tsp. dashi granules
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. mirin
2 tofu puffs
1 dried shiitake mushroom, reconstituted
1/2 spring onion
2 tsp. miso
hot cooked rice
sesame seeds (optional, to serve)
furikake (optional, to serve)

Slice the beef into thin strips roughly 1/4 in. and slice the pepper very thinly into strips, about 1/8 - 1/16 in. thick.  Heat a little oil in a pan.  Add the beef and saute for about 1 min., or until the outside is no longer pink.  Add the pepper and beans and saute another 1-2 min.

Mix together the sake, mirin, and soy sauce (1 Tbsp. each).  Add to the beef mixture.  Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the liquid is nearly gone.  Be careful not to let the sauce burn in the pan or it will have a bitter taste.

In a separate pot, bring the measured water to a boil.  Add the dashi granules and 1 tsp. each soy sauce and mirin.  Stir until the granules have dissolved.

Thinly slice the tofu puffs, the mushrooms into 1/4 in. strips, and the spring onions on the diagonal.  Add to the soup and boil for 2-3 minutes.  Add the miso and stir until dissolved.  Turn off the heat.

To serve, place the rice in a small bowl and sprinkle with furikake (rice seasoning) if desired.  Put the beef and vegetables on a plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Serve the soup in a separate bowl.