Korean Braised Potatoes (Gamja Jorim)

A Korean style potato dish where the potatoes are braised in a sweet and salty sauce!

Potato side dishes are among my favourites and these Korean style potatoes are a great option! The basic idea here is that potatoes are fried in oil in a pan before adding a braising liquid, consisting of soy sauce and a sweetener, and simmering until the potatoes are “melt in your mouth” tender. The potatoes get a nice crispy edge from the frying and then they absorb the saltiness of the soy sauce and sweetness of the rice syrup while braising, and the liquids cook down to a thick sauce that coats the potatoes! You can change the recipe up by adding extras such as garlic, green onions, toasted sesame, etc. I like to use baby potatoes for the presentation but peeled and diced potatoes absorb more of the flavours. No matter how you make them, these Korean braised potatoes (aka gamja jorim) amke the perfect side for any meal!

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 6

A Korean style potato dish where the potatoes are braised in a sweet and salty sauce!

ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1 1/2 pounds potatoes *
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free for gluten-free)
2 tablespoons mirin (or sake or omit)
2 tablespoons rice syrup (or honey, or maple syrup, corn syrup, brown sugar, sugar)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

directions

Heat the oil in a large wok, skillet, or pan, over medium heat, add the potatoes and roast, mixing frequently, until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
Add the mixture of the water, garlic, soy sauce, mirin, and syrup, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, mixing every few minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has cooked down, about 10-15 minutes.
Mix in the green onions, sesame oil and sesame seeds and enjoy!

Option: * Use small baby potatoes or use large potatoes that are peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces. Cook time in step 2 will increase if you use larger pieces of potatoes.
Option: Instead of pan roasting the potatoes you can pre-boil the potatoes for 15 minutes before sauteeing in oil for 5 minutes OR roast them in a preheated 400F oven for 20 minutes. Add the precooked potatoes to the braising liquid and simmer until the sauce has cooked down. This is less “hands on” than frying them in oil and continuously turning to cook evenly on all sides.
Option: Add 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, to the braising liquid, for a darker colour.
Option: Add 1/2 chili, thinly sliced, to the braising liquid, for some spicy heat.
Option: Garnish with gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes).
Option: Add 4 ounces bacon, sliced, by cooking the bacon, setting aside and cooking the potatoes in the bacon grease before adding the bacon back at the end.