A typical dinner time Japanese dish, Nikujaga is a meat and potato stew.  Delicious on a cool fall evening with a bowl of rice, it is a favorite of many around the world.  A little bit sweet and salty, it mixes flavors that normal American stews just don’t have, and is one of the simplest meals to prepare.

Nikujaga or nikujyaga is a Japanese dish of meat, potatoes and onion stewed in sweetened soy, sometimes with ito konnyaku and vegetables. Thinly sliced beef is the most common meat used, although minced/ground beef is also popular. Pork is often used instead of beef in eastern Japan.  Invented by chefs of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late 19th Century, it was inspired by beef stews served in the British Royal Navy which Japanese naval legend Tōgō Heihachirō encountered while studying naval science in Portsmouth, England. Upon his return to Japan, he commissioned a Japanese version of the dish for use in the Japanese Navy because of its nutritional value.  Here is one recipe for it, although it can easily be altered to ones liking.

Ingredients:

1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 to 5 pieces each
1/3 lb. beef, thinly sliced
2/3 lb. yellow onions, sliced (about 1/3 inch wide)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
400 cc water (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons or more soy sauce (to taste)
3 tablespoons or more brown sugar (to taste)
2 tablespoons sake or white wine

Directions:

Heat a deep pan and add oil and beef. Saute for a couple of minutes, then add onion and potato. Continue sauteing for 3 minutes. Add water, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sake or wine. Bring to a simmer half covered. Skim off any foam and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes until potatoes are done.

Enjoy!