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–+ servings

Authentic Nikujaga (Japanese Meat and Potato Stew)

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 3 portions

Ingredients 
 

Instructions 

  • First, peel 300 g potato and cut them into quarters. Soak them in a bowl of cold water to remove the excess starch.
    Nikujaga: soaking the potatoes
  • Peel 120 g carrot and 100 g onion, cut the carrot into rough chunks and the onion into medium wedges.
    Nikujaga: cut onions and carrots on wooden chopping board
  • Cut 200 g thinly sliced pork belly into bitesize pieces.
    Nikujaga: cut meat on chopping board
  • Take a pot and heat it on medium. Once hot, add 1 tsp cooking oil and add the meat to the pot. Fry until both sides of the meat are seared.
    Nikujaga: browning the meat
  • Once seared, add the onion and stir fry for 1 minute.
    Nikujaga: meat and onion in pan
  • Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot and mix thoroughly.
    Nikujaga: adding potato and carrot
  • Add 400 ml dashi stock and bring it to a boil. 
    Nikujaga: adding broth
  • Once boiling, add 1 tbsp light brown sugar, 50 ml mirin and 50 ml sake. Turn the heat down to a simmer and place a drop lid on top, touching the broth. Simmer for 30 minutes.
    Nikujaga: simmering with foil drop lid
  • Boil 100 g konjac noodles (shirataki) in a separate pot for 2-3 minutes and then drain the water to remove any unwanted odor.
    Once the 30 minutes are up, remove the drop lid and add 40 ml Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and konjac noodles to the pan. Tilt the pan/pot from side to side to move the soy sauce around without mixing (avoid mixing).
    Nikujaga: adding konnyaku noodles
  • Place the drop lid back on and simmer for another 5 minutes.
    Optional step: For the best flavor, turn off the heat and allow it to cool completely. Once cool, reheat on the stove over a medium setting until boiling.
    Nikujaga: simmering with foil drop lid
  • Remove the stringy part of 8-10 snow peas and blanch for 1 minute in a separate pot of boiling water.
    Nikujaga: blanching snowpeas
  • Remove them from the pot, cool with cold running water and cut them into diagonal pieces.
    Nikujaga: cutting snowpeas on wooden chopping board
  • Remove the drop lid and use a spoon or ladle to scoop the broth and baste it over the exposed vegetables. Add 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and tilt the pan to distribute it through the rest of the broth.
    Simmer for a few more minutes and taste-test the soup. (You can add more soy sauce to taste.)
    Nikujaga: adding soy sauce
  • Once you're happy with the taste, dish up. Sprinkle with the cut snow peas to garnish. 
    Dishing up nikujaga
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • Use thinly sliced pork or beef according to preference.
  • You can use any snow peas or green beans, whichever you prefer.
  • We sometimes add konjac or renkon (lotus root) in Japan, if you can get hold of these ingredients then you should try adding them too!
  • Serving suggestions: spinach ohitashi, freshly cooked rice, and pickles.