Nikujaga: Japanese-style Potato and Beef Stew

By garciamoss

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups of potatoes (about 3 medium size potatoes)
• 1 large onion
• Half lb (230g) finely sliced beef or steak mince meat
• 1 tablespoon of finely grated fresh ginger (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sunflower or vegetable oil (for frying)
• 2 cups (about 500ml) dashi stock/ light fish stock (to make instant dashi stock add 1 tsp of instant dashi granules to 500ml of water)
• 1/3 cup (80ml) soy sauce
• 3 tablespoon superfine/caster sugar
• 2 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon sake

Details

Adapted from fionasjapanesecooking.blogspot.ie

Preparation

Step 1

Peel the potatoes and chop them evenly as you would for roast potatoes. Soak in water for 5-6 minutes to remove any excess starch, then drain.
Cut the onion into 6 wedge-shape pieces, then chop the beef into bite size pieces.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Stir-fry the potatoes, add the onions and beef and cook for a few minutes. Add the grated ginger at this stage if you are using it.
Add the dashi stock, soy sauce, sugar, mirin and sake to the saucepan and simmer. Skim the surface and then place a wooden drop lid (or a circular piece of greaseproof paper slightly smaller than the saucepan with a hole in the center to allow steam to escape) on top. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked.
Taste before serving. If you want a richer flavour, add some soy sauce and extra sugar. Serve in bowls.

TIPS:
- Like all one pot dishes this dish tastes even better the next day
- Carrots and daikon go really well in this recipe also.