Nikujaga

Nikujaga is a Japanese simmered dish of thinly sliced beef, potato, onion and carrot cooked together in a broth of dashi, soy sauce, sugar and mirin. It is one of the standard home dishes of Japan and appears on many izakaya and teishoku menus.

What it really is

The dish is built on potatoes, which are cut into large chunks and simmered until they absorb the seasoned broth, with thinly sliced beef (usually shabu-shabu style beef or sirloin) and onion added for sweetness and body. The broth is a mix of dashi, soy sauce, sugar and mirin, and it is kept at a low simmer so the flavour soaks into the potatoes without breaking them. Carrot, sometimes shirataki or green beans, may be included.

Nikujaga is often confused with sukiyaki, which is cooked at the table and usually includes raw egg for dipping, and with beef stew in the Western sense, which uses wine and stock and is braised for much longer. Nikujaga is lighter, sweeter and quicker, with the broth reduced only lightly and served in the bowl with its ingredients.

How it's served

• Served hot in a deep bowl as part of a Japanese meal with rice and miso soup
• Eaten with chopsticks, with a little broth spooned over the rice or potato
• Often served as a home-style main or as a small plate in an izakaya
• Eaten the next day as well, as the flavour deepens in the fridge

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredients: thinly sliced beef, potato, onion and carrot in a sweet soy dashi broth
• Flag soy and wheat, as the seasoning contains soy sauce, and note that dashi may contain fish
• State the beef cut used, such as thin sliced sirloin or shabu-shabu beef
• Indicate if the dish is served with rice or as a small plate