Nikujaga

Nikujaga

Japanese beef and potato stew. 肉じゃが.

A soy flavored, stew-like dish of simmered sliced beef and potatoes, with the addition of onions, carrots and sometimes ito-konnyaku. Name means literally "meat-potato."

The origins go back to a dish served in the navy in the late 19th c. Became later popular as a home-cooked winter dish. Now a fixed staple in izakaya.

May not seem very Japanese, but wait... the flavoring is purely Japanese and at home this dish is eaten with a bowl of rice and miso soup! Also, the amount of the meat is relatively small and more for adding taste to the stew. In the Japanese kitchen, this dish belongs to nimono, simmered dishes.