Nikujaga: Japanese Beef & Potato Simmer

⏱ 45 min · Serves 4

Japan's ultimate home-cooking comfort dish — thin slices of beef, sweet onions and floury potatoes simmered in a glossy dashi, soy and mirin broth until everything is meltingly tender. It tastes even better the next day.

Per serving: 425 kcal · 24.0g protein · 42.0g carbs · 16.0g fat

Ingredients

• 300g beef sirloin or chuck, very thinly sliced (shabu-shabu style)
• 600g potatoes (Maris Piper or Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 medium onions, cut into thick wedges
• 1 large carrot, roll-cut into chunks
• 150g shirataki noodles (optional), rinsed and cut
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 500ml dashi (or water plus 1 tsp instant dashi powder)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1.5 tbsp caster sugar
• 100g mangetout or green beans, blanched
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced, to serve

Method

1. Soak the potato chunks in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain — this stops the broth going cloudy.
2. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, just until it loses its raw colour.
3. Add the onion wedges and cook 2 minutes until glossy, then add the potatoes, carrot and shirataki and toss to coat.
4. Pour in the dashi, sake and sugar. Bring to a simmer and skim off any foam that rises.
5. Add the soy sauce and mirin. Lay a piece of baking paper with a small hole cut in the centre (a drop lid) directly on the surface.
6. Simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the liquid has reduced by about half. Shake the pan occasionally rather than stirring, so the potatoes stay intact.
7. Turn off the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes — this is when the flavour soaks in.
8. Serve in bowls with a little broth spooned over, topped with blanched mangetout and spring onion, alongside steamed rice.