W01 R34 Sweet Umami Bowls

While rice cooks, wash and dry produce. Trim and halve cucumber lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise into half-moons. Zest and quarter lime (for 4 servings, zest one lime and quarter both). Peel and finely chop garlic. Halve, peel, and dice onion. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Trim, peel, and grate carrot on the largest holes of a box grater.

In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, juice from half the lime, ¼ tsp sugar (½ tsp for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Set aside to pickle, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve. In a small bowl, combine 2 TBSP mayonnaise (4 TBSP for 4), a squeeze of lime juice, a pinch of garlic, and as much Sriracha as you like (start with a little, then taste and add more from there if desired). Season with salt and pepper.

Once rice has cooked 15 minutes, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and scallion whites; cook, stirring, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add beef, remaining garlic, and 2 tsp sugar (4 tsp for 4 servings). Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until beef is browned and cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Stir in ponzu. Turn off heat; taste and season with salt and pepper.