How to Make the Carrot Steak from “Usavich” (Anime Food Recipe)

Recently, I made the legendary “Whole Steamed Carrot” created by the famous Japanese TV chef, Remi Hirano.

Making that dish got me thinking about a certain anime…

So, I decided to give it a try!

What is the Usavich Carrot Steak?

Usavich is a series of short anime episodes created by Kanaban Graphics.

Each episode is only about a minute and a half long, but the characters are insanely unique. It’s one of my all-time favorite shows!

In the series, the intimidating, invincible rabbit Kirenenko has an absolute favorite food: The Carrot Steak. Poor Putin almost always misses out on eating it, but even as a non-rabbit human, it always looked so delicious to me!

How to Make the Usavich Carrot Steak

Ingredients (For 1 Serving)

• Carrot (Medium size) … 1
• Butter … 1 slice (about 1 tbsp)
• Leafy greens (Lettuce or Salad greens) … 1 leaf (for decoration)
• Worcestershire sauce (or Japanese Tonkatsu sauce) … to taste
• Ketchup … a small amount
• Mayonnaise … same amount as the sauce
• Water … about 100cc (1/2 cup)

The flavor heavily depends on the carrot itself. If you can find a naturally sweet carrot that you can eat skin-on, that is highly recommended!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Wash and score the carrot Wash the carrot thoroughly. If it’s a larger carrot, make a shallow slit down the middle to help it cook.

Step 2: Steam-fry the carrot Place the carrot in a frying pan and pour in enough water to cover about half of the carrot. Cover the pan with a lid and let it steam-fry on medium heat for about 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 3: Add butter and sear Once the water has evaporated and the carrot is soft, toss in the slice of butter. Let the carrot sizzle in the butter to get a nice golden-brown sear on the outside.

How to check if it’s done: Poke the thickest part of the carrot with a bamboo skewer. If it slides in smoothly without resistance, it’s perfectly soft!

Step 4: Make the sauce Transfer the cooked carrot to a serving plate. Without washing the pan, add the Worcestershire/Tonkatsu sauce and ketchup directly into the leftover butter in the pan. Let it simmer and reduce slightly to create a rich glaze.

If you like it sweeter, add more ketchup. If you prefer a savory tang, add more sauce!

Step 5: Plate and Serve! Pour the reduced sauce generously over the carrot. Squeeze out a nice zigzag of mayonnaise on top. Finally, place your leafy green at the top of the carrot to mimic a real carrot top, and you’re done!

Taste Test & Review

So, how does the Usavich Carrot Steak taste?

Even if you aren’t a huge fan of carrots, slow-cooking it takes away that earthy, raw vegetable smell. It becomes incredibly tender, and the rich sauce makes you want to devour it in seconds. Honestly, this carrot alone is filling enough to be a whole meal!

It has a sweet and savory flavor profile that kids will absolutely love. (However, if you use a bitter or flavorless carrot, it might not turn out as good, so choose a good one!)

Watch the Video Recipe!

I also uploaded a video tutorial for this Carrot Steak on my YouTube channel, Kawachiyo Home Channel (Kawachiyo Gokatei Channel), which is linked with this blog!

In the video, I show a slightly faster, time-saving version of this recipe (using a microwave!). Please check it out, and if you enjoy it, don’t forget to Subscribe to the channel!