Seared Steaks over Ginger Rice

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel the ginger; finely chop to get 2 teaspoons (you may have extra). Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Halve the cucumber lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Place in a bowl; add the ponzu sauce. Season with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise and as much of the gochujang as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be; taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

In a small pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped ginger and sliced white bottoms of the scallions. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 3/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 15 to 17 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels (remove the tails if desired). Season with salt and pepper. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned shrimp. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until opaque and cooked through. Transfer to a plate; cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the tempura mix, half the togarashi, and ¼ cup of cold water. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sliced mushrooms; stir to thoroughly coat. In the same pan, heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high. Once the oil is hot enough that a coated mushroom sizzles immediately when added, carefully add the coated mushroom slices in an even layer (letting any excess drip off). Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt and the remaining togarashi.

Serve the ginger rice topped with the cooked shrimp, tempura mushrooms, and marinated cucumber (discarding any liquid). Drizzle with the gochujang mayo. Garnish with the sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!