recipes

nori nikujaga

an umami-savory classic stew with an oceanic twist

One of the things we often do around here is make Asian-inspired dishes, and one of the things my wife began making that I really enjoyed was nikujaga, which just translates to "meat and potatoes". Nikujaga comes in a stew that is often accompanied by other vegetables, but sometimes not, too.

Nori nikujaga, as we're calling it here, is that same classic savory stew, just with a slight change of my own: It has some nori in it, giving it a new taste that hangs out in the background and doesn't overpower. If you want to give this recipe a shot, you'll find the recipe and cooking steps below!

ingredients

3 medium potatoes, quartered and soaked
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 bell pepper (red or green), sliced
Half a sheet of nori for garnishing
3 cups of dashi stock (homemade or instant, to your preference)
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of mirin
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of sake
optional: 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil for sauteing

cooking instructions

First, saute your aromatics. Heat some oil over medium heat. Saute the onions until they are translucent.
Next, add in the vegetables. Stir them in gently so you don't accidentally break your potatoes.
Now, bring in the dashi. Pour in the dashi stock, covering all the ingredients thoroughly. Bring it to a gentle boil, being sure to skim off any foam you might see.
Next, it's time for seasoning. Add in the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake measurements. Stir it in lightly.
It's time to cook it. Cover it and simmer on low for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
After that, let it rest. Turn off the heat and let it sit for another 30 minutes. This process allows the flavors to deepen even more.
Finally, add in the nori. Cut your nori into strips or however you prefer, and place it into the stew. Serve immediately and enjoy!

If you love nikujaga and don't mind seaweed, then I think you would enjoy this spin on the classic stew. It is one of my favorite things for my wife to cook together these days, and I'm glad to finally have the recipe here on the online cookbook.

If you decide to make it as well, I hope you enjoy! It is certainly something nice and easy to fill up on!