Original: English

Japanese Meat and Potato Stew (Nikujaga)

This is a foundational Nikujaga recipe that you can use for a long time. By thoroughly sautéing the ingredients to lock in their umami and letting it cool once, the flavors will penetrate deeply, resulting in a surprisingly delicious Nikujaga. It's a dish that adds a touch of luxury to your everyday meals.

Steps

Peel the onion and cut into 7-8mm thick slices.
🕒 00:14
Wash the carrot and cut into bite-sized pieces with the skin on. [Key Tip!] The skin contains nutrients and umami, and cutting into irregular pieces helps the flavors penetrate.
🕒 00:36
Peel the potatoes and cut into bite-sized pieces, similar in size to the carrots. [Key Tip!] Do not rinse the potatoes with water; stir-frying them immediately allows you to cook without worrying about discoloration.
🕒 01:04
Aim for roughly the same size for the cut onion, carrot, and potatoes.
🕒 01:35
Rinse the shirataki noodles and cut into easy-to-eat lengths with scissors. Place on a plate to drain excess water.
🕒 01:40
Cut the pork belly into easy-to-eat pieces and lightly season with salt. [Key Tip!] Pork belly doesn't easily become tough when stewed, making it ideal for simmered dishes.
🕒 02:05
Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat and add 1 tbsp of sesame oil.
🕒 02:28
Once the pan is hot, add the pork belly in a single layer.
🕒 02:46
Once one side of the pork has browned well, flip it over and lightly brown the other side. [Key Tip!] The browning on the surface creates umami through the Maillard reaction.
🕒 02:57
Remove the pork from the pan. Leave the oil in the pan.
🕒 03:12
Turn off the heat and add the cut onion, carrot, and potatoes to the remaining oil.
🕒 03:26
Turn the heat back on to medium-low and sauté the vegetables until they have a nice brown sear on the surface.
🕒 03:34
While sautéing, sprinkle with 2 pinches of salt for seasoning.
🕒 03:41
Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions are softened, browned, and fragrant.
🕒 03:47
Turn off the heat.
🕒 04:09
Add the shirataki noodles on top of the sautéed vegetables, and then return the pork belly to the pan.
🕒 04:14
Add all the simmering liquid seasonings: 150cc water, 2.5 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp Hondashi (Soup Stock Granules), 2 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp Cooking Sake (Rice Wine), and 2 tbsp Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine).
🕒 04:21
Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring the seasonings.
🕒 04:47
Once boiling in the center, reduce the heat to low.
🕒 05:01
Cover with aluminum foil as an otoshibuta (simmering lid) and simmer gently for 10 minutes. [Key Tip!] The otoshibuta prevents the ingredients from breaking apart and adheres closely to them.
🕒 05:10
After 10 minutes, remove the lid and stir everything once. [Key Tip!] This ensures even temperature distribution and that the broth permeates all the ingredients.
🕒 05:21
Cover again and simmer gently for another 10 minutes to achieve fluffy potatoes.
🕒 05:36
After 10 minutes, open the lid and turn off the heat.
🕒 05:43
For even more flavor penetration and deliciousness, let the finished Nikujaga cool to room temperature and then reheat it.
🕒 05:54