The weather certainly has gotten cooler as of late and I have been craving heartier meals. It recently came to my attention that I have not been doing much Japanese cooking lately and I was missing it. I decided to combine the two and make nikujaga or meat and potatoes. Nikujaga is a Japanese version of a beef stew that is simmered in the classic Japanese seasonings of soy, sugar, sake and mirin. The stew ends up with a really nice blend of sweet and salty which works surprising well. Nikujaga is easy to make and tasty and because of that I make it fairly often. Recently I seem to always have some extra pumpkin lying around that just screams “use me” so I decided to replace the potatoes with pumpkin this time. I garnished the nikujaga with some chopped green onions and some shichimi togarashi. Shichimi togarashi is a Japanese condiment that is made from a blend of chilies and other things like sesame seeds, nori, etc. I enjoyed the heat that the shichimi togarashi added to the nikujaga.
Notes: Nikujaga is often simmered until most of the liquid has evaporated but I prefer to have some liquid left. I prefer to use dashi as the liquid but I have also used beef stock or even just water.
Nikujaga (Japanese Beef Stew)
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound beef (thinly sliced or cut into bite sized pieces)
- 1 onion (sliced)
- 2 cups potatoes (or pumpkin cut into bite sized pieces)
- 1 carrot (cut into bite sized pieces)
- 2 cups dashi (or water or beef stock)
- 3 tablespoons soy
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon sake
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 green onion (sliced)
- shichimi togarashi to taste (optional)
directions
- Heat the oil in a pan.
- Add the beef and brown on all sides.
- Add the onion, squash and carrot and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add the dashi, soy, sugar, sake and mirin, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
I’ve never had a Japanese stew, but you can bet I’d like to give this a try! I love those flavors, and would enjoy the salty sweetness if offers!
I have many of these condiments, or good substitutes, in my pantry at all times — now to find some beef in my freezer and I’m good to go.
I love Japanese food but I’ve never had anything like this. It looks delicious!
I really like the use of pumpkin instead of potatoes.
Very seasonal substitution, Kevin 🙂 Thanks also for noting what other broths can be used 🙂
Keving that looks good, I like a lighter soup or stew and this is right up my alley!
Interesting recipe. Without the Asiatic ingredients it could have been a Chilean stew! 😉
Good, honest food, Japanese home-cooking. Love the use of pumpkins here.
You make Japanese & I made Chinese (Won Ton soup). Since the weather is cool, now, I enjoy making soups. Thanks for the recipe.
That looks like a nice warm meal for such cold weather. I can’t believe it was almost snowing today!!
Nikujaga looks like a delicious comforting meal!
Delicious looking stew Kevin. It’s also sound perfect for the weather.
it looks yummy Kevin….and so perfect for the cooler weather…
Hugs
Diana
The right dish for the right season! I will love to have this anytime!
Hey Kevin, have you ever tried making sushi? It would be nice to have some tips.
Nicely done Kevin, this is one of my favourite comfort foods:-)
ohhh yum! i love mirin in anything! and those carrots look beautiful!!
Who doesn’t like beef stew? this is reminiscent of the heart-warming and stomach-pleasing stews of childhood! Looks delicious!
That looks really good Kevin! I never knew that the Japanese had stews! I’ll be sure to give this a try!
A delicious looking stew! I’ve never eaten anything like that… Yummy!
Cheers,
Rosa
I am always learning something from the dishes you cook. Never heard of this one but it sounds wonderful. This looks like it might be good with rice on the side.
Seems simple and easy – and looks tasty!
-DTW
http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
This really looks a great warming stew for cold weather Kevin.
Rosie x
It’s my lucky day, i was looking for some new beef stew recipe.
Thank you Kevin and bye… I have to go to the store:)
your beef stew looks perfect for a chilly Fall night, with a bowl of steaming hot rice.
Sounds delicious! Love the picture too.
This beef stew looks and sounds great. You keep coming up with winners!!
Nice Fall dish Kevin. I bet that broth was heavenly!
Another comforting dish!! Looks good!
I have never tried making Japanese stew… this definitely suits me as it’s freezing cold lately 🙁 It feels like December!
Sounds delicious, and something I never tasted, but would love to try it.
Yeah! Nikujaga is my favorite. You are very creative. I will try adding pumpkin next time. Thanks!
I should try this and use butternut squash – which I have in abundance right now!
Count me in for any kind of beef stew!
Sounds delish.
Your pot of stew looks so comforting … this is really hearty indeed ^o^
Using pumpkin is an interesting touch. I’m sure it adds great texture and flavor to the dish.
Looks wonderful – and as you say, just the right thing for the cooler weather!
looks nice, the weather must be good with you, your pictures look great. In England it is so dull, it’s difficult to get enough natural light for my photos.
You could call this dish nikukabocha, ‘kabocha’ is pumpkin 🙂
That’s a great recipe, thanks very much. I made it a couple of days ago and I’m doing it again today with all the authentic ingredients (dashi instead of beef stock, etc.)
The only thing that I find a bit odd is 3 tablespoons of sugar! Am I reading that right? I put in 1.5 tablespoons and it’s still a bit sweeter than I’d like it. I can only imagine it would be sickly with 3! The mirin that I have is extremely sweet too.
…and I have a couple of questions. Firstly, I have some “Yasai Fumi Furikake” (rice seasoning with nori, seasame seeds, etc.) Could I use that instead of the s.togarashi stuff? I’ll try it anyway. The other question is regarding sake. The first time I made this dish I used drinking sake, but this time I found “cooking sake” which is much saltier and would be revolting to drink straight. I suppose it’s the second type I should be cooking with?
Great recipe, thanks very much, and I love the idea to use pumpkins instead of starchy potatos.
Vic: Definitely adjust the recipe to your tastes! I like the combination of strong salty and sweet. I have made it with less sugar and it words just as well.
The togarashi is a blend of chili peppers that adds a spicy heat. I would not try replacing it with furikake. Maybe a dash of cayenne pepper?
I have always used drinking sake. I would think that the cooking sake would work, though you might want to adjust the recipe to take into account the extra salt in it.
I really like this! It’s so good.
Thanks Kevin for the info.
I'll chop up some chilli and try it.
WOW this is defanately my utmost loving Japanese food!! Awesome taste! I made a big batch and freezed some!! Domo arigato for the recipe!!
I had this recipe from a TV cooking show and I immediately had to try it. Simple and sooooo yummy. 😀 Reading this just makes my mouth water. And I even have some frozen pumpkin, I think I hear it knocking 😉
Lovely recipe, cooked it last night for dinner. Thank you!
This would need to be a tender cut of beef? since no braising time.
A tender cut of beef (ribeye, tenderloin) is good in this!