Nikujaga – Japanese Beef and Potatoes 肉じゃが

Nikujaga is a quintessential Japanese consolation dish and one of the vital traditional house cooking meals. This aptly named dish is made primarily from the 2 substances that make up the title: meat (” niku “) and potatoes (” jaga imo”). The skinny tender slices of beef are simmered along with potatoes, onions, and different greens in a sweet-soy broth creating a pleasant mix of textures and tastes. With its wealthy flavours and heartwarming high quality, it’s positive to immediately transport you to the comfy comforts of house.

What’s Nikujaga ?

Nikujaga is a standard and common Japanese stew-like dish. The phrase “nikujaga” interprets to “meat” (niku) and “potato” (jagaimo), which completely describes the primary substances of this scrumptious dish. The thinly sliced beef and chunks of potatoes are simmered in a savoury-sweet broth together with onions and different greens. It’s a hearty and comforting Yoshoku (Western) fashion dish that originated in the course of the Meiji period in Japan when Western delicacies began to affect native culinary traditions. Nikujaga is among the most common home-cooking dishes and a staple weekday meal because it’s tremendous easy, satisfying, and simple. It’s one thing that Japanese moms cross down from technology to technology and is sometimes called “Ofukuro no Aji” which implies the style of a mom’s cooking as a result of its homely and comforting.

Key Substances for Nikujaga

Thinly sliced beef or pork : Totally different areas of Japan will use both beef or pork as the primary protein element. I’m from western Japan the place beef is usually used and is what I’ve grown up consuming. Nevertheless, the selection between beef or pork is dependent upon private choice and dietary restrictions. Japanese meat is often sliced very thinly which permits for even and fast cooking and higher absorption of flavours. 

Potatoes : Potatoes are a vital part of Nikujaga as they supply a wealthy and comforting texture to the dish. They soak up the flavors of the sauce throughout cooking, changing into comfortable and melt-in-your-mouth tender. The starch from potatoes additionally helps thicken the sauce barely, giving it a luscious consistency. 

Different greens : Nikujaga is a beef and potato stew so they’re the 2 important substances, the opposite greens are completely as much as choice and what you’ve got readily available. Nevertheless probably the most generally used greens are carrots, onions, snow peas, and inexperienced beans. To finish this comforting meal, some variations could embody extra substances reminiscent of mushrooms or daikon radish. 

Konnyaku noodle : Konnyaku noodles, also referred to as shirataki noodles or miracle noodles, are skinny translucent noodles constituted of the konjac plant’s root. These gluten-free noodles are often added to nikujaga for added texture and are a well-liked ingredient as a result of their low-calorie content material and numerous well being advantages. 

Dashi and broth : The scrumptious broth for nikujaga contains soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and dashi. Dashi is a standard Japanese soup inventory that varieties the inspiration of quite a few dishes in Japanese delicacies together with nikujaga. Its umami-rich taste vastly enhances the general style profile of the dish and elevates it to a different degree of deliciousness.

Step-by-Step Preparation Information for Nikujaga

Getting ready the meat

I often purchase thinly sliced meats at Japanese grocery shops or Korean grocery shops. In the event you can’t purchase ready-made thinly sliced meat then you are able to do it your self. There’s a trick to slicing meat very thinly and it’s to chop it when it is extremely chilly almost semi-frozen.

Vegetable preparation

One of many key steps in getting ready this dish is chopping the greens into bite-sized items. Reduce the potatoes into chunks or wedges. Reduce the carrots and different greens into small items and thinly slice the onions.

The right way to put together the Konnyaku noodles

Konnyaku, is a well-liked food plan meals due to its dietary fibre of glucomannan and really low energy. Nevertheless, it has fairly a fishy odour and must be pre-cooked to take away this. Place 2 litres of water in a pot and convey the water to boil. Add the konjac noodle and prepare dinner for a couple of minutes. Flip the warmth off and drain the boiling water. It will take away the scent.

The right way to Make Nikujaga

This step-by-step information will assist you recreate this conventional dish in your individual kitchen.

1. Put together the Substances. Peel the greens and minimize them into bite-sized items. Thinly slice the onion. Pre-boil the konnyaku, drain it, then set it apart. Guarantee all substances are prepared earlier than beginning to prepare dinner.
2. Warmth some vegetable oil in a big pot or deep skillet over medium warmth. Add the onions, potatoes, and carrots to the pot and prepare dinner till the potatoes have turn out to be barely translucent on the perimeters. 
3. Add the sliced beef (or pork) and sauté till browned on all sides. 
4. Add the dashi inventory and convey it to boil. 
5. Take away any scum that seems on the floor then place a drop lid (otoshibuta) or an aluminium foil sheet with a gap on prime of the substances. Depart it to simmer for round Quarter-hour. 
6. Add the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. 
7. Add the konnyaku and inexperienced beans and simmer. 
8. When the greens have all cooked, flip off the warmth. Enable nikujaga to take a seat for a couple of minutes earlier than serving.

Serving Recommendations and Pairings

The normal method to take pleasure in this scrumptious Japanese dish is with a bowl of steamed white rice. The mix of tender meat, flavourful potatoes, and umami-rich broth completely enhances the simplicity of steamed white rice. It creates a well-balanced meal that’s each comforting and satisfying. To boost your eating expertise, you can too take into account including some extra components to your meal. Listed below are a couple of serving options and pairings that work nicely with nikujaga: 

Miso Soup: Begin your meal with a bowl of heat miso soup. Its savoury flavours will put together your style buds for the meal. 

Pickled Greens: Serve some pickled greens like tsukemono on the facet. The acidity and crunchiness of those pickles present a refreshing distinction to the hearty nature of nikujaga.

I hope you take pleasure in Nikujaga. If you can’t keep in mind the title of the dish, take into consideration Mick Jagger 🤣 And for those who favored Nikujaga, please price this recipe and remark beneath!

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Nikujaga – Japanese Beef and Potatoes

Nikujaga is a scrumptious Japanese potato and beef stew cooked in a savoury-sweet umami broth. This fast and simple meal is a staple of house cooking and a traditional Japanese consolation meals.

Course: Predominant Dish, Aspect Dish

Delicacies: Japanese

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Prepare dinner Time 20 minutes minutes

Complete Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 serves

Energy: 361kcal

Writer: Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles

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Directions

• Peel the potato and minimize into irregular sized chunks. Around the corners off and soak in a bowl of water. *3

• Peel carrot and minimize into 4 size sensible, then slice it thinly.

• Peel and minimize onion in half then thinly and diagonally. 

• Trim each ends of inexperienced beans and minimize into small items.

• Convey water to boil in a pot and prepare dinner Konnyaku to take away the fishy scent for a pair minutes. Drain the water and put aside.

• Warmth oil in a pot over medium warmth. 

• Add onion, carrot and potato  to prepare dinner.

• As soon as the onion, carrot and potato are coated with oil evenly and the sting of the potato turn out to be clear, add the meat.

• When the meat color has turned gentle brown, add the dashi inventory and convey to boil.

• Take away all of the scum from the highest and put a sheet of aluminum foil, with a small gap minimize within the center, excessive. *4

• Simmer for about Quarter-hour to prepare dinner till the potato has turn out to be comfortable. 

• Add sake, mirin, sugar and soy sauce.

• Add Konnyaku and inexperienced beans and simmer till the sauce reduces a bit bit.

• When the inexperienced beans color has modified and cooked, flip the warmth off and serve.

Notes

*1 If you’re unable to search out thinly sliced beef, place the meat in freezer for a pair hours then slice it with a pointy knife. 
*2 You should use prompt dashi powder. In the event you utilizing dashi powder, observe the packet instruction or add 1/2 tsp to 250ml water.
*3 This Japanese chopping approach referred to as “Mendori” and is used to keep away from the greens reminiscent of potatoes, pumpkins and radish damaged aside. 
*4 This lid is known as “Otoshibuta” and it’s smaller than the pot diameter of the pot, so the lid sink within the pot over the substances with the intention to prepare dinner evenly. You can also make this lid with parchment paper or aluminium foil, or purchase them on-line. 
 

Vitamin

Energy: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 16g | Fats: 9g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Ldl cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 1155mg | Potassium: 1343mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1370IU | Vitamin C: 34.5mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 9.8mg