Nikujaga (Japanese Beef and Potato Stew)

A comforting, gently sweet stew of beef, potatoes and onion simmered in dashi, soy and mirin.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 1 hour
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Very Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 300g thinly sliced beef sirloin or rump
  • 2 onions, cut into thin wedges
  • 600g potatoes, peeled and cut into 4cm chunks
  • 1 carrot, cut into 3cm chunks
  • For the broth: 400ml water
  • For the broth: 2 tsp dashi granules
  • For the broth: 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • For the broth: 3 tbsp mirin
  • For the broth: 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 100g green beans, trimmed and halved
  • Cooked short-grain rice, to serve

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large, lidded saucepan over a medium-high heat. Stir-fry the beef for 2 minutes until just browned, then add the onions and cook for 3 minutes.

  2. Add the potatoes and carrot and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the water, dashi granules, soy sauce, mirin and sugar and bring to the boil, skimming off any scum.

  3. Reduce the heat, cover loosely and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring gently once or twice, until the potatoes are tender.

  4. Add the green beans and simmer for 4 minutes. Serve in bowls with rice.