Cook time 1 hour
Serves 6
This recipe is from Japan – my sister-in law Chie’s family recipe. Chie cooked it for me once in Osaka and it was fantastic; hearty Japanese comfort food. It’s best eaten the following day, served warm or cold to allow the potatoes to absorb the soup. I like to use a cheaper cut of beef and cook until it is tender. The soy adds real depth of flavour and the peas a little pop of sweetness.
Ingredients
1 tbsp oil
2 large onions, diced
1kg stewing steak or lamb, cut into 3cm dice
4 large potatoes, thickly diced
3 carrots, thickly diced
6 tbsp sake
3 tbsp mirin (sweet sake)
6 cups water
5 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
130ml soy sauce
2 cups peas
Method
Heat a large saucepan on a medium-high heat and add the oil. When hot add the onions and cook until they are just beginning to colour. Add the meat in batches and brown. When browned, add the potatoes and carrots and combine.
Now add both sakes and the water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Remove any scum that comes to the surface.
Add the sugar and soy sauce, cover and reduce the liquid by two-thirds. Add the peas and turn off the heat, cover and stand for at least 3 minutes.
Top tip: For a vegetarian option, replace the beef with whatever vegetables you fancy and use kelp stock.