A classic Japanese comfort food — tender beef and vegetables simmered in a savoury-sweet broth. This shortcut version uses just one seasoning: mentsuyu.

INGREDIENTS

STEPS

1. Prep the vegetables: Peel the 4.5 potatoes, 1 carrot, and 1 onion, and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
2. Heat the oil: Turn on the stove, heat a frying pan, and add the 1 tablespoons salad oil.
3. Cook the beef: Once the pan is hot, add the 250 grams thinly sliced beef and cook until browned.
4. Add the mentsuyu: Once the beef is cooked through, pour in the 100 milliliters mentsuyu (2x concentrated).
5. Add the vegetables: Toss the beef so it's well coated in the mentsuyu, then push it to the side of the pan and add in the vegetables.
6. Add water: Pour in the 400 milliliters water.
7. Simmer: Cover with a sheet of cooking paper as a drop lid (otoshibuta-style) and simmer.
8. Cool and serve: Let the dish cool for a little while before serving — this helps the vegetables soak up more flavour.

NOTES

A note on mentsuyu strength: mentsuyu comes in several concentrations \u2014 straight (ready to use), 2x, 3x, and even 4x concentrated. This recipe uses 2x concentrated, so adjust your water amount if you're using a different strength (check the ratio printed on your bottle).

A note on the meat: this recipe uses thinly sliced beef, which is the traditional choice for nikujaga, but thinly sliced pork works well too \u2014 just swap it in if that's what you have.

Why let it cool before serving? Letting the dish cool slightly after cooking actually helps the vegetables absorb more of the broth's flavour \u2014 it's a small step, but it makes a real difference.

Every mentsuyu brand has its own flavour profile, so feel free to add a splash of soy sauce at the end if you'd like a bolder taste.

This channel is run by a Japanese woman living in Japan, sharing a look at everyday Japanese food and culture. I hope it gives you some fun souvenir ideas and a few useful tips for everyday life along the way.

References : yamaki-official-site