Rengoku Bento from Demon Slayer: Mugen Train

Published January 16, 2025
Japanese

We’re back with another Demon Slayer-inspired banger as seen in Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. It’s basically a gyudon bento - a Japanese beef dish with thinly sliced beef simmered in a sweet and savoury sauce. It’s ridiculously delicious, especially when all that sauce soaks into the fluffy rice underneath. super UMAI

ingredients

Beef & tofu:

  • Hot pot beef rolls or 1 steak (partially frozen for easier slicing)
  • 3 firm tofu squares, cut into cubes
  • 1–2 spring onions, chopped (white parts only)
  • ½ onion, thickly sliced

Soy-marinated egg:

  • 1 egg
  • Light soy sauce
  • Mirin
  • Sugar
  • A dash of dark soy sauce
  • Water

Sauce:

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 1 ½ tbsp sake
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp dashi stock
  • ½ tbsp sugar

To serve:

  • Steamed rice
  • Pickled ginger

Method

Make the soy-marinated egg
  • Boil the egg for 6 minutes, then immediately transfer to an ice bath. Once cooled, peel and place in a container with light soy sauce, mirin, sugar, a splash of dark soy sauce, and water. Marinate in the fridge overnight for best results.
Cook the beef & tofu
  1. In a pan over medium heat with a little oil, pan-fry spring onion whites and tofu until browned. Remove the spring onion and set aside.
  2. In the same pan, add onion slices and sauté briefly.
  3. Pour in soy sauce, mirin, sake, water, dashi stock, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
  4. Add the beef and stir to coat in the sauce. Return tofu to the pan and let it soak up the flavors.
  5. Once the beef is no longer pink (this will only take a minute or two depending on thickness), remove from heat.
Assemble the bento
  1. Add steamed rice to a bento box or lunch container, making a small indent for toppings.
  2. Top with pickled ginger, tofu, beef, spring onion whites, and half of a soy-marinated egg.
  3. Serve warm or enjoy at room temperature.