Meaty-potato "Nikujaga", a traditional Japanese potato dish

Nikujaga, miso-seasoned black cod, tofu with sesame oil, rice and miso soup

Nikujaga is a typical potato dish in Japanese home dining. Potato is simmered with sliced meat (usually beef but this time pork) and veggies such as round onion and carrot seasoned with soy sauce and mirin (sweetened sake).  

Ingredients

• 2 baking potato
• 1 caroot
• 1/2 large round onion
• 70g konnyaku (a gummi-cake made of yam potato)
• 100g Pork belly 
• handful beans (long or flat)
• 1.5 tablespoons of sugar
• 1.5 tablespoons of sesame oil
• 1.5 tablespoons of mirin
• 1 cup of Dashi (japanese soup stock if not, just water)
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

konnyaku is very light calorie with plenty of fiber. Very healthy ingredient.

Directions

1. Slice konnyaku into 7mm thick and boil in water for 2 mins to remove the lime

2. Make a 4-5 cm line in the middle with a knife

3. Put one edge through the cut to make a ribbon shaped konnyaku. Konnyaku is sloppy to pick up and eat and this shape makes the way much easier

4. Cut potato and carrot into the large bite size. Slice the meat thin and cut into 5-6 cm length

5. Heat up the pressur cooker and fry the pork with sugar and sesame oil

6. Once the meat is halfway done, add all the veggies except the beans. Add soysauce, mirin, dashi-water and close the lid. Allow it to boil in medium heat then gently boil with small heat for 4 mins. 

Turn off the heat and wait until the lid is ready to open

7. Open the pressur lid and start to simmer with small heat for 5-6 mins. Add salt

8. Add the green and close the lid (regular, not pressur) and leave for 3 mins before serving.

Sesame-salt tofu is the very simple, easy to prepare but tasty menu. Just top 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil.

Total cost: 8.52 pounds (5.32 for seasoned cod, 0.7 for potato, 1.5 for pork, 2 for the rest of veggies)
Total time to prepare: 50 mins