Nikujaga Morimoto Style Recipes

NIKUJAGA (JAPANESE-STYLE MEAT AND POTATOES)

Steps:

• Put the snow peas in a small saucepan with enough water to cover; bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook the beef in the oil until browned. Add the potatoes; cook and stir until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the dashi soup, soy sauce, sake, and sugar into the mixture; simmer for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and scatter the chopped onion over the mixture; allow to simmer until the liquid is nearly completely evaporated, about 15 minutes more. Top the mixture with the snow peas to serve.

NIKU JYAGA (JAPANESE BEEF AND POTATO STEW)

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut each into 4 to 6 pieces, so they are relatively uniform in size. Bevel the edges of each piece with a vegetable peeler. Soak in cold water for about 10 minutes to remove some starch.
• Cut carrots in rangiri: Hold the knife at a diagonal, and rotate carrot quarter turns to cut irregular, multifaceted chunks. Cut each onion into 6 to 8 wedges, about 3/4 inch wide. Cut beef into 2-inch pieces.
• Prepare a drop-lid for a 3- or 4-quart heavy-bottomed pot: Cut a circle of parchment paper about 1 inch smaller than the diameter of the pot, and cut a 1/2-inch hole in its center.
• Drain and rinse potatoes. Add to pot with carrots, onions and 1 1/2 cups water (it will not fully cover the vegetables). Tuck kombu (if using) into the water. Bring to a boil, then discard kombu. Add soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar. Add beef, stirring to distribute.
• Place parchment lid directly on top of vegetables and liquid, and simmer - don't boil - stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until potatoes are very tender. Turn off heat, discard parchment, and rest for at least 30 minutes (overnight is even better) to allow the potatoes to soak up the seasoning. Reheat, and serve with white rice, or a frosty beer.

NIKUJAGA (JAPANESE MEAT & POTATOES)

Steps:

• Prepare the dashi or beef broth.
• Prepare veggies: Cut onion into 10-12 wedges. Peel and cut the carrot in half lengthwise and then cut diagonally into about 1" pieces. Cut the potatoes into large bite-sized chunks (they may cook down some) and put in water to prevent color change.
• Remove string from snow peas and boil for 30 seconds and set aside.
• Rinse and drain shirataki noodles and boil for 1 minute. You may wish to cut them in half. Set aside.
• Cut sliced meat in half, if necessary.
• Heat oil in a large pot and add the onion and the meat and cook until the meat is no longer pink.
• Add the potatoes, carrots and shirataki noodles. Then add the dashi stock and the Seasonings (again, may want to add a little more of each for more flavor - taste and adjust) and bring to a boil.
• Turn down heat, skim off any scum and place an "otoshibuta" (or piece of aluminum foil, folded round to fit in the pan on top of the mixture and with a hole poked in the middle for ventilation) and simmer about 15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.
• Turn off the heat, remove the "otoshibuta" or foil and let stand 30 minutes before heating up to serve, or plan to serve the next day.
• Once heated again, top with snow peas and serve.

NIKUJAGA, MORIMOTO-STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In large, ovenproof pan, heat a little oil, then sear beef both sides, until nicely browned.
• Add potatoes, carrots, baby onions, yellow, and red bell peppers and mix well with beef juices.
• Place pan in oven for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven. Remove beef and vegetables from pan. Stem and seed the peppers.
• Cut the meat and vegetables into bite size pieces and set aside, keeping warm.
• Deglaze pan with sake. Add soy sauce, sugar and mirin. Thicken, if necessary, with cornstarch and water.
• Cover meat and vegetables with gravy. Sprinkle chive on top and drizzle chili oil on top, to taste.