NANI Cooks! — Nikujaga; Japanese Meat & Potato Stew
In our first NANI Cooks! series, we tackled Spaghetti Neapolitan, a Japanese spaghetti dish made with ketchup, within 15 minutes - how easy?! Check it out if you haven’t already! This time, we attempted Nikujaga, a Japanese stew comprising of carrots, potatoes, and meat. This dish is slowly becoming one of my go-to comfort foods because it’s simple and easy to make. Needless to speak, it also comes with the easier option of making it with a microwave if you are rushing for time, or if you are lazy as me.
NANI Cooks! Is our latest cooking series where we recreate Japanese recipes at home to show you that you don’t need fanciful ingredients and equipment to create an authentic and delicious Japanese meal. The recipes shared are quick and easy, most of them using minimal effort and/or taking less than an hour.
Join us this time as we whip up a stew that takes less than 30 minutes for preparation and cooking time! For more visual instructions, scroll towards the end for a video recipe!
What is Nikujaga?
Source: Tiger
Nikujaga (肉じゃが) is one of the most iconic home-cooked dishes in Japan, comprising mostly of niku (meat) and jagaimo (potatoes). It only requires a few ingredients and is incredibly easy to make. It is one of the favorite meals of Japanese college students living away from home because it can also be easily replicated in a microwave!
What surprised me the most was that Nikujaga is also part of Yoshoku cuisine! Yoshoku refers to Japanese dishes influenced by Western food flavors. Some of the most popular Yoshoku dishes include chicken nanban, spaghetti neapolitan, and hamburg steak! This meat and potato stew was first introduced in the Imperial Japanese Navy after a general asked a naval cook to come up with his own rendition of the beef stews he had in England.
Ingredients
Serves Two:
75g Pork/Beef
200g Potato
150g Onion
100g Carrot
2 TBSP Soy sauce
2 TBSP Brown sugar
400ml Dashi stock
Step 1: Prep your vegetables
Chop the onions into small chunks.
Do the same for the peeled carrots…..
…..and peeled potatoes.
Step 2: Making the Dashi stock
Add 400ml of water to Kombu (seaweed). Set it aside for 20 minutes, and remove the Kombu after. Voila, the Dashi stock is ready!
Pro tip 1: You can add the Kombu into boiling water to speed up and reduce the time you need to set aside for the soaking process!
Pro tip 2: There are different types of Dashi stocks that you can learn and make here! Ready-made Dashi stocks are also available!
Step 3: Boil your potatoes and carrots
Add your chunks of carrots and potatoes into boiling water and boil them till they are softened!
Once softened, drain and set aside.
Step 4: Sauté your onions
Sauté your onions until they become translucent and fragrant.
Set aside once you are done!
Step 5: Combine your ingredients!
Add your soy sauce, brown sugar, Dashi stock, potatoes, carrots, onions, and pork (or beef) into a drained pot.
Simmer them on medium heat for 15-20 minutes!
Last step: Plate up!
Plate up, and you’re done!
Serve with a bowl of rice, or enjoy it like it is!
In six easy steps, this comforting Nikujaga is done!
I can definitely resonate with the Japanese college students on why this dish is so popular among them! This dish is the epitome of home-cooked food; the sweetness of the carrots and onions reminds me of a Japanese rendition of the popular ABC soup we Singaporeans love. The meat and potatoes are thoroughly infused with the soup, and I can see myself enjoying this on a cold rainy day with a bowl of warm rice!
While we used pork in this recipe, beef can also be substituted. No matter the choice of protein, I recommend opting for thin shabu-shabu slices so they can cook quickly and evenly. The stew can also be made in a pressure cooker or a microwave. You can heat the potatoes, carrots, and onions in the microwave till they are fully cooked before adding your meats and seasoning! If you are using shabu-shabu slices, you can add the pork/beef directly. Or if you are using other cuts of protein, be sure to boil them in water first! It is also recommended that you leave the stew to sit overnight for the flavors to intensify.
Be sure to try this delicious and super simple stew for yourself!
Check out our latest video on this recipe!
Enjoying our NANI Cooks! series? Check out our previous recipe here!
