Nikujaga (Japanese Beef and Potato Stew)

Ingredients

• 400 g stewing beef, sliced thinly across the grain
• 700 g potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 onion, cut into thick wedges
• 1 carrot, cut into rough chunks
• 100 g green beans, trimmed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 5 dl water
• 1 tsp dashi granules
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp mirin

Method

1. 1.

   Sear the beef gently — Heat the oil in a wide heavy pot over medium-high heat and sear the beef, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, just until it loses its raw colour. Do not brown it hard, this is a gentle stew.

2. 2.

   Coat the vegetables — Add the onion wedges and cook for 2 minutes until the edges turn glassy, then tip in the potato and carrot and turn everything over a few times so the vegetables are coated in the beef fat.

3. 3.

   Simmer under a paper lid — Pour in the water with the dashi granules, sake and sugar. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam that rises, then lay a round of baking paper directly on the surface, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

4. 4.

   Season with soy and mirin — Stir in the soy sauce and mirin and simmer, part-covered, for another 16-18 minutes, until a skewer slides into the potato with no resistance and the liquid has reduced by about half.

5. 5.

   Add the green beans — Scatter the green beans over the top and simmer uncovered for 4 minutes, until they are bright green and just tender but still snap.

6. 6.

   Rest off the heat — Turn off the heat and let the pot stand for 10 minutes. This is when the potato drinks up the broth, so do not skip it. Serve warm rather than piping hot, with rice alongside.