Nikujaga
肉じゃが: home-style beef and potato stew in sweet soy dashi
Two naval port towns, Maizuru near Kyoto and Kure near Hiroshima, both claim nikujaga was first cooked in their navy galleys. Whatever its start, it became the dish many Japanese people think of as mum's cooking, simmered on autumn and winter evenings and served with rice and miso soup. Thin slices of beef, chunks of potato, onion and carrot cook gently in dashi seasoned with soy and sugar until the potatoes are tender and soaked with flavour. Families in eastern Japan often use pork; in the west, beef is usual. Chef's tip: cover the stew with a circle of baking paper with a small hole in the middle (an otoshibuta, or drop lid), so the small amount of liquid bastes everything evenly.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the stew
For the simmering liquid
To finish
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rinse the cut 1 ⅓ lb potatoes in cold water and drain; this washes off surface starch so the stew isn't cloudy.
Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide, heavy pan over a medium-high heat. Add 9 oz thinly sliced beef (sukiyaki or shabu-shabu cut) and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until it just changes colour. Add 1 onion and fry for 1 minute more.
3 minStep 3: Add the potatoes, 1 carrot and 7 oz shirataki noodles and toss for 1 minute so everything is coated in oil.
1 minStep 4: Pour in 1 ¾ cups dashi stock and 2 tbsp sake and bring to the boil. Skim off any grey foam. Sake and mirin contain alcohol; for an alcohol-free stew, leave both out and add 2 tsp extra sugar and 4 tbsp extra dashi.
3 minStep 5: Stir in 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp mirin, lay a drop lid or a circle of baking paper directly on the stew and simmer over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 6: Add 3 tbsp soy sauce, replace the lid and simmer for 15 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a skewer and the liquid has reduced by about half. Common mistake: stirring the pot as it cooks. The potatoes break up and turn the sauce to mush; gently shake the pan instead.
15 minStep 7: Add 2 ⅛ oz green beans or mangetout for the last 3 minutes, until bright green and just tender.
3 minStep 8: Take off the heat and leave the lid on for 10 minutes; the potatoes soak up flavour as they cool slightly. Nikujaga tastes even better the next day: cool, refrigerate within 2 hours and reheat until piping hot.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nikujaga take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
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