Nikujaga - Japanese Potato Beef Stew

With the pouring rain outside my window and the need to wait for a parcel delivery, I've decided to give visiting the supermarket a miss and cook with whatever is left in the pantry. I found some leftover sukiyaki beef slices in the freezer and Nikujaga - a Japanese beef stew with potato, is what I've decided to simmer on the stove today. Commonly known as the Mom's traditional stew, this dish is a simple stew using three key condiments: soy sauce, mirin and sugar, the exact same ingredients for many Japanese dishes including the famous teriyaki and gyudon.

Ingredients:

200g                  sliced beef
1 medium           yellow onion, sliced
2 medium           potatoes, peeled and quartered
1.5 cups             dashi stock
3 tablespoons     soy sauce
2 tablespoons     mirin
1/2 tablespoon    white sugar
1 tablespoon       vegetable oil

Method:

Heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Fry the beef slices till brown and add in the sliced onion and cut potatoes. Fry them until the onions have softened.

Pour in 1.5 cups of dashi stock and bring to boil. Add in 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of mirin and 1/2 tablespoon of white sugar. Lower heat to simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Serve with steamed white rice.