Cup of Yum
1. Gather all the ingredients. For the Japanese short-grain rice, 1½ rice cooker cups (180 ml x 1.5 = 270 ml) of uncooked rice yields roughly 3 US cups of cooked rice. See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, a pot over the stove, an Instant Pot, or a donabe.

To Make the Taco Seasoning

Cup of Yum
1. In a mason jar (or a plastic bag), combine all the ingredients for the taco seasoning: 1 Tbsp chili powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes), ¼ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp paprika, 1½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Shake well to mix together.

To Prepare the Ingredients

1. Mince 1 clove garlic and set aside; we will use this for stir-frying the meat.
2. Mince ½ red onion (we call this cutting technique mijingiri in Japanese). Lay one half on an onion flat side down on the cutting board. With the knife tip pointing toward the root end, make ⅛-inch vertical slices to within ½ inch of the root end. Then, with the knife edge toward the root end, make ⅛-inch horizontal slices, again keeping the root intact. Finally, make perpendicular cuts down through the vertical slices you made. If you need to chop the onions finer, run your knife through them using a rocking motion. Hold down the tip of the knife; otherwise, the onions will go flying around the room.
3. Cut 2 leaves iceberg lettuce into thin strips. Set aside for serving.

To Make the Salsa

1. Cut ½ tomato (or 1 small tomato) into small cubes.
2. Chop 5 sprigs cilantro (coriander) into small pieces.
3. Combine one-quarter of the chopped red onion, the tomato, and the cilantro in a medium bowl and squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into the bowl. Mix well together. Set aside.

To Cook the Taco Meat

1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. When it‘s hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and the minced garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant. Then, add the remaining three-quarters of the chopped red onion and sauté until coated with oil.
2. Add ½ lb ground beef and cook, breaking it into small pieces using a spatula.
3. Add 4 tsp taco seasoning (roughly 2 tsp for every ¼ lb of meat) and combine well with the meat. When the ground beef is cooked through, turn off the heat.

To Assemble the Taco Rice

1. Divide 3 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice among individual serving plates or bowls. Put the taco meat on the rice. Then, top with ½ cup Mexican-style shredded cheese, the lettuce, and the tomato salsa, to your liking. Serve with extra salsa and enjoy!

To Store

1. You can keep the leftover Taco Rice in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to a month (remove the lettuce and tomatoes before freezing). Put any leftover taco seasoning in a jar and store in a cool, dark place.