Ginger Beef with Rice and Peas

Satisfyingly chewy short-grain rice and soy-seasoned beef is a classic Japanese pairing. This version of gyu soboro gohan cooks rice and ground beef separately to keep the tastes and textures distinct, then combines the two at the end. We layer in the seasonings for flavor complexity, adding soy sauce and mirin (a subtly sweet rice cooking wine) to the rice as it cooks and adding more of each, plus fresh ginger, to the beef after sautéing. With a steamed or stir-fried vegetable alongside, this rice dish is hearty enough to be a light main.