Combo A Recipe

Season and prepare proteins

Pat beef, pork belly, and chicken dry with paper towels. Lightly brush all pieces with sesame oil and season evenly with salt and black pepper. Keep beef and pork in single-layer plates for easy grilling; thread chicken onto short skewers if desired for yakitori style.

Preheat grill or pan

Heat a grill, grill pan, or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (about 3–5 minutes). If using charcoal or gas grill, aim for a hot zone for quick searing and a cooler zone to finish cooking.

Grill proteins

Place pork slices and beef on the hot surface. Sear beef 30–60 seconds per side for medium-rare depending on thickness; pork slices 1–2 minutes per side until edges brown and slightly crisp; cook chicken skewers 2–3 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Move pieces to the cooler zone or remove to a platter as they finish to avoid overcooking.

Glaze with tare

During the last 30–60 seconds of cooking each protein, brush generously with tare sauce (reserve extra for serving). Turn once and brush the other side so proteins develop a shiny, caramelized glaze. For safety, do not reuse tare that has contacted raw meat unless you bring it to a boil first.

Transfer grilled proteins to a serving platter, let rest 2–3 minutes, then slice larger pieces (beef) into bite-sized strips. Sprinkle sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds over the proteins as garnish. Provide lemon wedges alongside for squeezing.

Make the tare

Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and glossy. Stir in toasted sesame seeds off the heat. Taste and adjust sweetness or salt: add another 1 tsp sugar or 1 tbsp mirin if needed. Cool slightly; reserve about 60 ml for serving as dip.

If the tare was used to baste raw meat during grilling, set aside an extra portion that has not touched raw protein for use as a dipping sauce.

Cook rice

Rinse short-grain rice under cold water until water runs mostly clear. Drain. Combine rinsed rice and 480 ml water in a rice cooker or heavy pot. If using a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a rice paddle or fork before serving.

Prepare vegetables

Toss shiitake mushrooms and zucchini rounds with a pinch of salt and the butter. On the grill or in a skillet over medium-high heat, cook mushrooms cap-side down 2–3 minutes and zucchini 2 minutes per side until tender and lightly charred. Lightly oil the griddle so vegetables don’t stick. Place shredded cabbage on the plate as a crisp bed for proteins.

Arrange grilled vegetables on the platter next to proteins. Sprinkle a little shichimi togarashi on mushrooms if using, and provide lemon wedges for squeezing over vegetables and meats.

Arrange tsukemono (pickles), beni shoga (pickled ginger), and nori strips in small bowls or on the serving platter. These provide palate-cleansing bites and contrast to the rich grilled meats.

Place the reserve dipping tare and Japanese mayonnaise in small bowls. To serve, build a plate with a scoop of steamed rice, shredded cabbage, a selection of grilled proteins and vegetables, pickles and garnishes. Diners may dip grilled pieces into tare or brush extra tare over rice and proteins. Serve immediately while hot.