Sticky Soy-Glazed Gamja Jorim (Korean Braised Potatoes)

⏱ 35 min · Serves 4

Baby potatoes simmered in a garlicky soy-mirin glaze until they're glossy, sweet-salty and tender enough to squash with a chopstick. The ultimate Korean banchan — and honestly, a whole meal with a bowl of hot rice.

Per serving: 251 kcal · 5.2g protein · 40.5g carbs · 7.6g fat

Ingredients

• 700g baby potatoes (or 3 medium potatoes, cut into 3cm chunks)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (sunflower or grapeseed)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 1 small onion, cut into thick wedges
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin (or 1 tbsp rice vinegar + 1 tsp sugar)
• 1.5 tbsp brown sugar or rice syrup
• 300ml water
• 1 green chilli, sliced (optional)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• Pinch of black pepper

Method

1. Scrub the baby potatoes and halve any larger than a walnut so everything is roughly even. Pat dry.
2. Heat the neutral oil in a wide lidded pan over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and fry for 5 minutes, turning, until the edges are lightly golden — this stops them collapsing later.
3. Add the garlic and onion wedges and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Pour in the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer, cover and cook for 12 minutes.
5. Uncover, stir gently, and simmer hard for a further 8–10 minutes, spooning the sauce over the potatoes, until the liquid has reduced to a thick, syrupy glaze that coats each potato.
6. Turn off the heat and stir through the sesame oil, green chilli and black pepper. Let it sit 2 minutes to soak up the glaze.
7. Scatter with sesame seeds and spring onions and serve warm or at room temperature with steamed rice.