Pepper Lunch (copycat)

I’m not really sure how I came across the idea of recreating the classic Pepper Lunch sizzling plate—maybe I was looking for ways to use up leftover sliced meat from hotpot haha. All I know is that I started watching some YouTube videos on how to make the sauces, and the next thing I knew, I had added it to my list of foods to cook during quarantine. I guess it doesn’t matter; it was so simple to make yet was so luxuriously good! It also brought back fond memories of my childhood friend Ate K. bringing me to Pepper Lunch during my internship in Singapore :) And this one time over Christmas break 2018, when I reconnected with another childhood classmate over Pepper Lunch outside our old elementary school. Good times :)

(Note: try not to raise the stovetop temperature too high, or the rice might burn! Made that mistake during the first batch ^^;)

(original recipe from Simple Bakes)

Ingredients:

• Honey garlic sauce
• 1/8 onion, chopped (enough to make ~1/3 cup) (we used yellow onion)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup honey
• ¼ cup Japanese soy sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• ½ tbsp cornstarch
• Garlic soy sauce
• ¼ cup Japanese soy sauce
• ¼ cup Chinese (light) soy sauce
• 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ cup water
• ½ tbsp cornstarch
• Main
• 1.5-2 lb sliced meat (traditionally beef, but we used lamb and pork)
• 3-4 cups rice (2-3 cups uncooked rice)
• 1 can corn
• 2 tbsp butter
• handful chopped green onions
• black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Mix honey garlic sauce ingredients in a saucepan, then cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until onions and garlic are soft. Blend with an immersion blender (or in a normal blender). Set aside in a beaker or easy-to-pour vessel.
2. Do the same with the garlic soy sauce ingredients.
3. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, adding oil if necessary.
4. When it starts getting warm, place half the rice into the centre of the skillet.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Once the skillet is ripping hot, arrange half the meat all around the rice, then pour half the canned corn and half the chopped green onion on top of the rice mound. Pour sauce over the rice and some of the meat and season with freshly-ground black pepper to taste.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Mix all the ingredients as desired.
7. Repeat with the other half of the ingredients.
8. Enjoy :)

Makes 3 large servings.