Plant-based Nikujaga (Japanese "Meat" and Potato Stew)
A classic Japanese home dish known as "taste of mom's cooking."
Equipment
- 1 Aluminum foil as a substitute for Japanese Otoshi-buta (simmering lid for Japanese stew)
Ingredients
- 3 medium size potatoes
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 70 g dry soy mock meat can be swapped for seitan or pressed firm tofu
- 1 package shirataki konjak noodles cooked according to the package if preferred
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
Dashi (broth)
- 10-20 g kombu (dried kelp) or dried shiitake mushrooms This dashi-making process can be skipped, but remember dashi is a great umami-enhancer!
- 600 ml water
Seasonings
- 3 tbsp mirin (sweet sake)
- 2 tbsp sake
- 2 tbsp miso
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp tbsp amazake can be swapped for 1 tbsp sugar
Topping and Garnish
- 8-10 pieces snow peas can be swapped for runner beans or green peas
Instructions
- Put kombu/shiitake into 600 ml water. Soak overnight in a fridge. (The kelp and mushrooms are edible and nutritious, so cut them into small pieces and use them as a part of the ingredients unless it’s not your cup of tea)
- Cut potatoes, a carrot, and an onion into equally large chunks. By cutting them into the same size, everything will be cooked nice and evenly. Big chunks are preferred traditionally to enjoy rich texture.
- In a large pot, sprinkle cooking oil. Add the onion and stir over mid-high for 2-3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium pot, boil water with a pinch of salt. Add snow peas and blanch for 1 minute. ( Note: Salt is used to make the color brighter!) Set them aside for the final garnish.
- Cook soy mock meat in the boiled water in the same medium pot for 5 minutes. Rinse it off with cold water in a colander while squeezing with your hands a couple of times (for soy meat to get better soaked in flavor )
- Into the large pot, add kombu dashi, mirin, and sake (,and sugar if you use one instead of amazake).
- Add potatoes, carrot, shirataki, and soy meat.
- Mix miso, soy sauce, and amazake, then add this mixture to the pot.
- Cover everything with an aluminium foil lid. Simmer for 10-12 minutes over mid-high.
- Cool it down for 30-60 minutes. If you can touch the pan safely, it's ready. Because the flavor sits inside when cooled, doing so enables the ingredients to absorb the umami-rich soup!
- Re-heat gently before serving. Add snow peas on top, and enjoy!
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