Japanese🥩 Meat

Nikujaga (Beef and Potato Stew)

Name: Nikujaga (Beef and Potato Stew)
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 150 g thin beef slices; 2 potatoes; ½ carrot; 1 onion; 80 g Itokonnyaku or Shirataki; 8 snow pea pods; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp sugar; 2 tbsp sake; 100 ml dashi stock; ½ tbsp vegetable oil

⏱ 30 min🍽 Serves 2

Nikujaga is one of the most popular dishes in Japanese home cooking. This version uses a minimal amount of water to bring out the maximum flavor from the ingredients. The combined umami of the beef and vegetables makes this dish absolutely delicious.

Adapted from a video by Cooking with Dog

Nikujaga Recipe (Beef and Potatoes Stewed in Savory Soy Sauce Based Dashi Broth) | Cooking with Dog

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

thin beef slices150 g
potatoes2
carrot½
onion1
Itokonnyaku or Shirataki80 g
snow pea podsor substitute with snap peas, string bean pods or green peas8
soy sauce2 tbsp
sugar2 tbsp

Steps

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1
Cut the potatoes into relatively large bite-size pieces. Rinse lightly and wipe away excess water.
2
Cut the carrot into bite-size pieces, rotating slightly with each cut for even size.
3
Cut the onion in half lengthwise, then slice into wedges along the grain, keeping the root end attached.
4
Remove the stringy part from the snow pea pods by pulling from the stem end to the tip, keeping the tip attached for presentation.
5
Cut the Itokonnyaku into smaller pieces and parboil.
6
Heat about half a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan and arrange the beef slices.
7
When the beef is mostly browned, transfer two-thirds to a plate to prevent overcooking. Leave the remaining beef in the pan to help season the other ingredients.
8
Add the potatoes and carrot, stir-frying thoroughly until the potato surfaces become translucent. This stage helps reduce the liquid needed later.
9
Add the onion and Itokonnyaku, stirring to coat everything evenly with oil.
10
Distribute the reserved beef evenly over the potatoes.
11
Pour in the dashi stock. Add the sugar and sake, then submerge the sugar in the broth and stir gently to dissolve.
12
Cover the ingredients with a paper towel (an otoshibuta or drop-lid technique) to help cook with minimal broth, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 10 minutes over gentle heat.
13
After 10 minutes, move the paper towel aside and pour in the soy sauce. Swirl the pan to distribute evenly and ladle the broth over the ingredients. The paper towel also removes foam. Cover with the paper towel and lid again and simmer for 10 more minutes.
14
Test the potato with a bamboo skewer to check if cooked through. Add the snow pea pods, cover, and simmer for 1 more minute. Remove the peas to prevent discoloring.
15
Remove the paper towel, turn off the heat, and turn over the ingredients so unabsorbed parts are submerged in the broth. Cover and let cool.
16
Reheat the nikujaga just before serving. Japanese stews should be cooled once then reheated, as the ingredients absorb more flavor while cooling.
17
Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved snow pea pods.

Nikujaga (Beef and Potato Stew)

Ingredients

Steps

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