Ease of preparation rating: Medium.
Yield: 2 servings.
This Japanese Beef Stew has a delicious clear broth that not only bursts with flavor but also delivers a rich umami depth, comforting your body and soul. Add in hearty vegetables and tender beef, and you’ve got a meal that doesn’t just fill you up but also ignites a passion for the artistry of cooking!
Dashi Stock
Ingredients:
4’ x 3’ piece of Kombu
1 ½ cups (360ml) packed katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
4 cups (1L) water
Method:
Gently pat the kombu with a damp cloth to clean it without removing the white powdery substance.
Make a few slits through the kombu with a sharp knife.
Soak kombu in the water for 1 hour.
After one hour, bring water and kombu to a boil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.
Before it boils, remove the kombu from the broth.
Add katsuobushi, and skim the top of the broth occasionally.
Once it is boiling again, reduce heat, simmer for 1 minute, before removing from heat.
Allow 10 minutes for the katsuobushi to sink to the bottom.
Strain the dashi through a sieve lined with paper towel, reserving the liquid.
Nikujaga
Ingredients:
2 medium potatoes
2 large onions, cut into 12 wedges
1 carrot, peeled and cut into medium size pieces
1 tablespoons (15 ml) of olive oil
1/3 lb (150g) of thinly sliced beef or pork
2 cups (480ml) Dashi stock
2 tablespoons (30ml) mirin
2 tablespoons (30ml) soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30ml) sake
½ tablespoon (8ml) sugar
Method:
Peel potatoes and cut into large pieces, rounding off the edges with a paring knife.
In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat.
Add onion, and cook for 2 minutes.
Add meat, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until no longer pink.
Add potatoes and carrots, and cook for 2 minutes.
Add Dashi stock, mirin, sugar, sake and soy sauce.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, skimming off the scum from the top.
Cook for 30 minutes, stirring gently occasionally.
Remove from heat and serve immediately.