Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle is an amazing dish with sizzling tender sukiyaki beef, pepper, rice and a delicious Amakuchi and Karakuchi sauces that can be on your table in less than 30 minutes. 
Have you ever eaten at a Pepper Lunch restaurant?
Pepper Lunch is not a high-end luxury dining experience by any means. As a matter of fact, you have to first place your order into a vending machine and pick out your items to get your food ticket and to retrieve your food.
However please don't misconstrue. Of course, there are not waitresses fluttering about you waiting on you hand in foot. However, their signature dish is simple, quick, inexpensive, filling, hot, delicious and served to you in a matter of moments.
Two Special Japanese sauces for Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle
- Amakuchi sauce which is sometimes called Special Honey Brown Sauce, Pepper Steak Honey Brown Sauce, Japanese honey brown sauce.
- Karakuchi sauce sometimes called the Garlic-Soy Sauce or Pepper Lunch Steak sauce.
I first posted this recipe on November 17, 2011 and I have made this Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle dish about a million times since then for my family. I have added some helpful hints and I have sorted out the recipe for both the Amakuchi and Karakuchi sauce to the best of my tasting abilities.
You are never going to believe this but they just put in a Pepper Lunch restaurant walking distance from my home, here in Hong Kong. Life is good! However, when I don't feel like fighting the crowds or walking 20 minutes, making this dish at home is a great alternative.
History of the Pepper Lunch Restaurant
According to Wikipedia, Pepper Lunch restaurant originated in Japan in 1994 by chef and inventor Kunio Ichinose, who wanted to serve quality fast food without hiring a chef. He devised a method using hot metal plates that are heated to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 Celsius) by an electromagnetic cooker. The raw meat with vegetables and/or rice are then placed on the plates, where they cook in front of the customer.
The meal is then mixed with a choice of either the special honey brown sauce (Amakuchi) or garlic soy sauce (Karakuchi). Now there are over 200 restaurants in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Macau, Philippines and USA.
Signature Dish
The signature dish of "Pepper Lunch Restaurant" is their sizzling beef and rice platter. Hands down this type of food that teenagers will come flocking to as it consists of everything they deem edible in Asia in one easy dish; rice, beef, corn and the special yummy sauces.
"There is Always Rice"
You know the everyday struggle I have with raising and feeding teenagers in Asia... "Eww! Are we are on the show fear factor? My goodness, what is that? I am soooooo not eating that. (Grilled squid on a stick, Fried blood, chicken feet, 1000 year old eggs, congee, snake,eel, mystery like meat substances with lots of bones, the list goes on and on). Need I say more????
So our famous family motto is, "There is always rice!" Plain white rice is pure and filling. In addition, rice can be used as way to hide the other weird mysterious foods that end up on your plate during those executive meetings and or other such functions. My teenagers all know the drill, move your food around on your plate, pretend to enjoy and smile while eating the items placed on your plate or hide the weird stuff on the bottom of your rice pile.
Why you are going to love Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle
However, men cannot live on rice alone, so that is why this signature Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle dish is a perfect family retreat in Asia. Of course it is fun to eat this dish out at the Pepper Lunch restaurant, but it is just as fun, easy and simple to make this dish at home. After several visits to this establishment, here is what I think they put into their signature dishes. (give or take a few ingredients)
Sukiyaki Beef
I use sukiyaki beef that is very thin and delicious and here is a photo of it, if you are wondering what it is. Now don't worry if you cannot find sukiyaki beef you can just use a sirloin or other tasty tender cut of meat you like and slice it ultra thin and against the grain. Some other delicious recipes using sukiyaki beef would be our Sukiyaki Beef Udon and our Asian Beef Roll Ups
Helpful Cooking Hints
1) Using an iron skillet is best as it really holds the heat and can cook the beef even after it is off the burner. However, I do not have 4 iron skillets and I need to use regular skillets for the rest of our family. No worries you will just have to keep the regular pan on the burner for an additional 3-5 minutes to cook the beef and to get the rice crunchy.
2) The crunchy rice on the bottom is the best part. I like to keep my pan on the burner for the additional couple of minutes just to get that delicious rice crunchy.
3) You do not have to use beef, if you are vegan substitute vegetables such as colorful peppers and zuchinni, eggplant or even fried tofu.
4) Many people use super thin slices of fatty salmon or tuna belly instead of beef or even super thin slices of pork.
5) If you cannot find super thin and beautiful sukiyaki beef at the store , then try purchasing a sirloin steak, put it in the freezer so it gets firm and then cut into super thin slices. Make sure it is unthawed and dried all the way before cooking.
6) If you need to follow a gluten free diet then please substitute soy sauce with tamari and you can have the garlic- soy (Karakuchi sauce). However you cannot have the honey -soy sauce mixture as the oyster sauce is not gluten free. If you really want to try an alteration to the honey -soy sauce, remove the oyster sauce and replace with ¼ cup water with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and mix until it is a slurry and add to the honey soy mixture and cook until bubbly and thick.
7) If you are diabetic, you can still enjoy the beef but instead of the rice sizzle add some vegetables. Instead of the honey in the honey soy mixture add a sugar alternative to taste.
8) Kids and adults both love this dish!
Delicious Japanese Side Dishes to go along with your Pepper Lunch Steak
Garlicky Sesame Stir Fried Beans
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This is our re-engineering of the recipe just by taste and watching them make it in the restaurant. Feel free to adjust ingredients/amounts and let us know how it goes.
Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle
Ingredients
Amakuchi (Honey - Soy Sauce)
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup tamari (soy) sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoon water
Karakuchi (Garlic-Soy Sauce)
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 3 cloves garlic
peeled and minced - ½ cup tamari (soy) sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
ground - ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Pepper Lunch Beef (serves 4)
- 4 tablespoon canola oil
(1 tablespoon per person) - 1 onion
Large onion chopped finely (¼ onion per person) - 2 cloves garlic
peeled and minced (½ garlic clove per person) - 4 cups precooked japanese white rice (1 cup per person)
- 1.5 pounds sukiyaki beef
If you cannot find sukiyaki beef, you can use sirloin and freeze and then cut ultra thin - 1 teaspoon pepper
(¼ teaspoon per person) - 1 cup corn (can use cooked fresh, frozen or even canned)- ¼ cup per person
- 4 teaspoon butter (1 teaspoon per person) or margarine if you need to keep it dairy free.
- 2 tablespoon green onions thinly sliced for garnish - optional
Instructions
- Make the special honey brown sauce (Amakuchi). In a small pan add honey, soy sauce, oyster sauce mix and water. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes and set aside.
- Make the garlic soy sauce (Karakuchi). In a small pan add your oil and then add your garlic and just sauté until slightly aromatic then add the tamari (soy sauce) and pepper. Mix the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry and then slowly add to karakuchi sauce and cook until boils and slightly thickens. Set aside.
- Make your Pepper Lunch Steak. In an iron skillet or a heavy duty pan, heat up your pan to a high heat, add your oil, onions and garlic and cook just until aromatic, add 1 cup of rice (per person) in the middle of the pan, then add the beef around the rice. sprinkle pepper on your beef, add the corn on top of rice and then place a dab of butter on top of your corn/rice mixture.
- It is at this point that in the restaurant pepper lunch they would remove from the heat and serve to you. It is up to you but if you have 4 iron skillets and can get the pans super hot to cook the meat then by all means remove from the heat and serve. However, I only have one iron skillet, and only 3 burners and 3 regular pans and 4 mouths so feed.
- For those of you that do not have an iron skillet or really like their beef more well done or even crispy then keep on cooking for a little bit (3-5 minutes) and turn over the beef and let the rice get a little crunchy on the bottom as that is my absolute favorite part.
- Garnish your pepper lunch steak and rice sizzle with a little green onion and serve with both the delicious special honey brown sauce (Amakuchi) and garlic soy sauce (Karakuchi). Enjoy!
- Bring the Japanese Pepper Lunch Beef Sizzle piping hot to the table in the iron skillet pan and set on an oven safe mitten. (Be Careful, it is VERY hot) Yummy served with edamame and Japanese pickles on the side. ITADAKIMASU! - Lets Eat!
shashi at runninsrilankan says
Haha - Bobbie - I think every teen parent has heard those phrases! But, I bet those phrases will vanish from kid's vocabularies if they were presented with this dish! Both soy sauces sound wonderful and I wish we had Pepper Lunch restaurants here in Georgia!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Charlie! I bet if your daughter came to HK and she experimented with some of the local delicacies, I might here from her some of the same phrases and chants... LOL I would never do that to her. I know what teenagers like and they do really like pepper lunch and thank goodness, it is so easy to make. (You could even have it with fish, tofu or just veggies too) Take Care
nancyc says
This sounds like a great dish–the garlic soy sauce sounds really good!
GiGi Eats Celebrities says
THAT STEAK THOUGH! Oh wow, yes! GIMME SOME OF THAT RED MEAT 😀
Amy (Savory Moments) says
This looks like a restaurant dish! Perfect and very delicious. The word "sizzle" in the title makes me immediately want to eat it!
Nancy |Plus Ate Six says
I lived in Tokyo for 4 years and never went into a Pepper Lunch - what was I missing out on? I know my resident carnivore would love this served to him for dinner and I reckon we would be fighting over the crispy rice on the bottom. Lovely recipe!
hotlyspiced says
I will just have to remember to not touch the plate! That is seriously hot! What a clever idea; I haven't heard of these restaurants but the guy who created them is very clever - fancy having a restaurant that doesn't need a chef! We don't have them hear in Oz but I do like the sound of the two sauces and how the meal comes with rice and vegetables. And great that you have been able to adapt this for home as well xx
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hi there Charlie! I can't remember what part of Australia you are from but Eha did a little research and found out..there is one in Sydney’s Chinatown, one just open in Perth on the other side of the Continent and one being opened soon in Canberra it seems! Or you can just try my recipe... I know your kiddos will love it. Have a super weekend
Maggie | Omnivore's Cookbook says
OMG, this dish looks incredible! You're popping out super delicious recipes so fast! How can you keep up? Love the amakuchi type of sauce. This is so simple to make too. Definitely will be on my lunch menu, every week! Sharing everywhere of course 🙂
dedy oktavianus pardede says
you ain't go that kind of generous portion on pepper lunch for sure!!!
Healthy World Cuisine says
For sure Dedy... you will not get that much protein on your plate in a Pepper Lunch restaurant. I think that is why my boys like me to make it for them at home...that is one hungry teenager boy serving...LOL I hope you are doing well.
HapaNomNom says
That place sounds awesome! I LOVE the fact that your food is cooked on your plate - so cool! And I had to laugh at your Fear Factor comment - I always like to say I'll try anything once, but sometimes I just have to draw the line 😉
Your sauce recipes are fantastic and go so well with grilled meats! Speaking of which, that steak looks phenomenal - totally tender and so much flavor!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Kathleen and thanks so much for your kind comment. I am glad my fear factor paragraph made you chuckle...raising picky eating teenagers in Asia is a tough feat. I used to try anything new food once, but now I have been here long enough that I don't have to conform to peer pressure. Sea cucumber and whole steamed frog is not something I like to have staring at me on my plate and it is way to big to hide under the rice.. LOL
Dawn says
Wow, this looks so amazing, and it is not just because I haven't had Asian food in over a month!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hi there Dawn! How was France? Yeah.. I bet there are not too many Chinese restaurants there in the beautiful French countryside. LOL I am totally jealous and can't wait to hear about your adventure.
Robyn Gleason says
Such a great post with helpful hints, some giggles and stunning photos, Bobbi. Fried blood? OMG! I had not heard of that one and yikes! lol. I am eating meat again and particularly steak so I will make this for us because I know we're going to love all the amazing flavours. You need to do an Ebook, Girl - with your unique dishes and gorgeous photos it would be a huge hit!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Robyn and I am so delighted to hear that I made you smile and giggle. We need that everyone in awhile... Yeah fried blood and the thing of it it is not just specific to Chinese cuisine. My mom tells me that my little Italian grandma used to make blood sausages... yikes! They did not waste a thing...the beauty of this dish is you can use the same concept and use thin slices of fish, tofu, etc. You are so sweet.an ebook is on my honey do list, what about you? Have a super holiday!
Eha says
Actually crispy pig's blood pancakes are probably my very favourite food in all the world cuisines: an everyday dish in my birth country of Estonia in NE Europe and methinks in the rest of the Baltics and Scandinavia. . . so this is not just an Asian 'thing' 🙂 !
allthatsjas says
I agree with your kids - eww! LOL. But this steak and rice looks more than acceptable, in fact it looks amazing! My mouth is watering...
Anna @ shenANNAgans says
We don't have Pepper Lunch here in Australia, well not in Canberra anyways. But that doesn't matter now I know how to make it myself. 🙂
Reckon this would go down a treat in my household, although we dont seem to eat red meat much these days, guess we could swap for chicken, or even a fish huh? That sauce would work nicely with anything I reckon. Lovely recipe sweets, looking forward to trying.
Have a rippa weekend. Cheers from a freezing cold Aussie. xo
Eha says
Anna dearHeart: see above - Canberra outlet opening any day . . . you can see the menu and prices on line! Have a nice weekend and hope that next strong cold front on Monday won't freeze you over too much!
KevinIsCooking says
Wonderful recipe and post. The photos are beautiful and I love the corn with the rice. What struck me most were the Amakuchi and Karakuchi sauces. Looking forward to trying them! Thanks for sharing this and your family's experiences. I felt the same way when we went to China for the first time. To many squiggly foods and what's up with all the bones in everything? Ha, it got better.
wok with ray says
The thin cut beef looks so tender and delicious. Amazing photo of the dish.