Nikujaga

Ingredients

• 300g beef, thinly sliced
• 600g floury potatoes (about 4 medium)
• 1 large onion
• 1 carrot
• 150g shirataki noodles
• 100g green beans or snow peas
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 400ml dashi
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1.5 tbsp caster sugar

Before you cook

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks about 4cm across, then round off the sharp edges with the knife so they hold together while simmering.
• Soak the potato chunks in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain them.
• Peel the onion and cut it into eight wedges through the root.
• Peel the carrot and cut it into rolling wedges by turning it a quarter turn between each diagonal cut.
• Blanch the shirataki in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and cut them into manageable lengths.
• Cut the beef into 5cm pieces.
• Top and tail the green beans and cut them in half.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the beef and stir-fry for 2 minutes until it has changed colour all over.
3. Add the onion wedges and cook for 2 minutes until they glisten.
4. Tip in the potatoes and carrot and turn everything for 2 minutes so the pieces are coated in the beef fat.
5. Pour in the dashi and the sake, then bring the pan to a boil.
6. Skim off the foam that rises to the surface with a spoon and discard it.
7. Stir in the sugar and let the pan simmer for 5 minutes, because sugar needs to go in ahead of the salt to get inside the potato.
8. Add the soy sauce, mirin and shirataki.
9. Cut a circle of baking paper the width of the pan, pierce a hole in the centre and lay it directly on the surface of the stew as a drop lid.
10. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, until a skewer slides into a potato with only slight resistance.
11. Lift off the paper, scatter in the green beans and simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes so the liquid reduces to a shallow glossy pool.
12. Turn off the heat and let the pan stand for 10 minutes, which is when the potatoes really absorb the broth.
13. Spoon into bowls, making sure everyone gets beef, potato and some of the broth.