Onion-free ginger beef rice bowls

These colourful rice bowls combine savoury ginger beef with crisp cucumber, carrot and baby spinach. The recipe contains no onion, garlic or dairy as written and uses familiar ingredients available in Australian supermarkets.

Serves: 4   Preparation: 20 minutes   Cooking: approximately 20 minutes   Total: approximately 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 300 g jasmine rice
• 500 g lean beef mince
• 30 mL garlic-infused olive oil, divided
• 25 g fresh ginger, finely grated
• 30 mL gluten-free tamari
• 15 mL rice vinegar
• 10 mL pure maple syrup
• 10 mL sesame oil, optional
• 200 g carrots, cut into fine matchsticks
• 250 g Lebanese cucumbers, shaved into ribbons or thinly sliced
• 100 g baby spinach
• 15 g sesame seeds, optional
• 15 g fresh coriander leaves, optional
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

Method

1. Rinse the rice under cold running water. Cook it according to the packet directions, then cover and set aside for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
2. While the rice cooks, combine the ginger, tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil and 15 mL garlic-infused olive oil in a small bowl.
3. Heat the remaining 15 mL garlic-infused olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and cooked through with no pink remaining.
4. Pour the ginger mixture over the beef. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the liquid reduces slightly and coats the mince.
5. Divide the rice and baby spinach between four bowls. Add the ginger beef, carrot and cucumber.
6. Finish with sesame seeds and coriander if using. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Intolerance considerations

• Onion and garlic: neither is included as a solid ingredient. Choose a garlic-infused oil without pieces of garlic, and check the tamari and other packaged ingredients for onion or garlic if these are relevant to you.
• Gluten and wheat: use tamari specifically labelled gluten free if required. For coeliac disease or wheat allergy, also check every packaged ingredient and prevent cross-contact during preparation.
• Soy: tamari is usually made from soy and is not suitable for a soy allergy. Choose a verified soy-free seasoning that suits your needs rather than assuming another sauce is equivalent.
• Sesame: sesame oil and seeds are optional. Omit both and use 10 mL additional olive oil if sesame must be avoided.
• FODMAPs: this recipe has not been laboratory tested or certified low FODMAP. Serving size, product formulation and individual tolerance matter, so compare the ingredients and portions with current advice from your dietitian or the Monash University FODMAP app.

Practical substitutions

Chicken or turkey mince can replace the beef; cook it thoroughly and follow the same method. Replace baby spinach with finely shredded lettuce added at serving time, or use cooked green beans if that better suits your plan.

If coriander is not your preference, use sliced chives or leave the garnish off. For a sesame-free bowl, omit the sesame oil and seeds as described above.

Food safety and leftovers

Cook minced beef completely, with no pink remaining. Cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate in covered containers within 2 hours and keep below 5°C. Use within 2 days and reheat the beef and rice until steaming hot. Store the cucumber separately so it stays crisp.

More everyday ideas

Read why fructose and fructans are not the same, or browse the full Intoleran Australia recipe collection. Individual tolerance varies; an Accredited Practising Dietitian can help if you need to manage several restrictions.