Nikujaga

also called 肉じゃが · nikujaga · nikujaga · にくじゃが · meat and potatoes · Japanese beef and potato stew · simmered beef and potatoes

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Nikujaga: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
Dashi 10 : soy 1 : mirin 1 : sake 1, under a drop lid so the liquid is pushed back over the potatoes.
9 oz(250 g; rib-eye or chuck, sliced for shabu-shabu)thin-sliced beeffry until the red has goneturn in the fat 2 minsimmer 15 min under a drop lidreduce to a glaze, uncoveredscatter over
1(in 1/2-inch wedges, root left on so they hold)onion
1 Tbs(15 mL)toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 lb(680 g; floury, in large chunks with the sharp corners pared off)potatoes
5 oz(150 g; rinsed and cut into short lengths)ito konnyaku
2 cups(475 mL)dashi
3 Tbs(45 mL)soy sauce
3 Tbs(45 mL)mirin
3 Tbs(45 mL)sake
1 Tbssugar
12(blanched 1 min in salted water)snow peas
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.13 things to get out.

Pans and tools

Before anything else

2fry until the red has gone

3turn in the fat 2 min

goes in with what step 2 made

4simmer 15 min under a drop lid

goes in with what step 3 made

6scatter over

goes in with what step 5 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 29 min1 of 5 steps gives no time
Needs you
about 14 min
If you get it wrong
Forgiving — a hard boil shakes the potatoes apart into the broth, and that is the one move it does not come back from
  1. fry until the red has gone

    4 minneeds youfrom the start

  2. turn in the fat 2 min

    2 minneeds you4 min in

  3. simmer 15 min under a drop lid

    15 minwalk away6 min in

  4. reduce to a glaze, uncovered

    8 minneeds you(we think)21 min in

  5. scatter over

    not timed29 min in

You'll need wide pot

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Nikujaga
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: japanese, beef, potato, dashi, simmered, weeknight
>> counters: Japanese Home Cooking
>> aka: 肉じゃが, nikujaga, nikujaga, にくじゃが, meat and potatoes, Japanese beef and potato stew, simmered beef and potatoes
>> pairs-with: dashi, gohan, miso-soup
>> servings: 4
>> time: 45 min
>> slack: forgiving — a hard boil shakes the potatoes apart into the broth, and that is the one move it does not come back from

>> step: Dashi 10 : soy 1 : mirin 1 : sake 1, under a drop lid so the liquid is pushed back over the potatoes.
The ratio does the work: dashi 10 : soy 1 : mirin 1 : sake 1.

>> step: fry until the red has gone
Fry @thin-sliced beef{9%oz}(250 g; rib-eye or chuck, sliced for shabu-shabu) with @onion{1}(in 1/2-inch wedges, root left on so they hold) in @toasted sesame oil{1%Tbs}(15 mL) in a #wide pot{} ~fry{4%min}, until the beef has just lost its red.

>> step: turn in the fat 2 min
Turn @potatoes{1 1/2%lb}(680 g; floury, in large chunks with the sharp corners pared off) and @ito konnyaku{5%oz}(150 g; rinsed and cut into short lengths) through @&(~1)beef and onion{} ~fry{2%min}, until every face is filmed with the oil.

>> step: simmer 15 min under a drop lid
Pour @dashi{2%cups}(475 mL), @soy sauce{3%Tbs}(45 mL), @mirin{3%Tbs}(45 mL), @sake{3%Tbs}(45 mL) and @sugar{1%Tbs} over @&(~1)pot{}, lay a drop lid straight on the surface and ~simmer{15%min} at a lazy bubble, until a skewer goes into a potato without resistance.

>> step: reduce to a glaze, uncovered
Lift the drop lid off @&(~1)nikujaga{} and ~reduce{8%min}, shaking the pot rather than stirring it, until barely a spoonful of liquid is left and it clings.

>> step: scatter over
Scatter @snow peas{12}(blanched 1 min in salted water) over @&(~1)nikujaga{}.