Nikujaga (Japanese Beef and Potato Stew)

I don't remember where I found the book on slow cooker dishes that contained this recipe - it was collecting dust in someone's house, and I was bored and flipping through to pass the time.  While looking at soggy chicken stews, and "stir-fries" that you cooked 8 hours, I was despondent.  But somewhere in the back, buried way beyond the potato soups and the poached fish with mustard dishes, and just before the wine-soaked pears, I found this gem, which is most definitely authentic, and which does very nicely in the slow cooker.

Nikujaga is an interesting dish if you know Japanese food, mostly because it's got a lot of western influence.  I can't name too many Japanese dishes that have whole potato chunks - possibly golden curry, and some kind of croquette called a korokke, which I may now have to make after having looked it up.  But I assure you, mention Japanese beef and potato stew to someone from Japan and they will say "NIKUJAGA!!", which I have tried a couple of times with great results.

I really like the flavors in this dish, which is slightly sweet, very rich, and incredibly filling and warming.  And there's very little to this process - you chop everything, throw it in the slow cooker for the day, and come back later to eat a delicious meal.  I first tried this in the pressure cooker, which took an hour, and then tried it in the slow cooker, which took 6-8 hours, and which I thought tasted nearly identical but was ready when I walked in the door.  Your call.  Also, if you really want to get fancy, brown the meat first in a bit of olive oil, and then continue.  It will be notably better, although totally non-essential.

Japanese Beef Stew (Nikujaga)

From Slow Cooker Menus

• 2 lb boneless beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks (or 3-4 dark chicken quarters)
• 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped on the bias
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup sake or dry white wine
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp mirin or rice wine
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ cup minced scallions
• Chili oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients except scallions and chili oil in pressure cooker, or in crock of a slow cooker.  Cook one hour in pressure cooker, or 4-6 hours on high / 8-10 hours on low for slow cooker.  Or, if you have a bit of time, heat a heavy cast-iron pan over high heat and brown beef in a bit of light olive oil on all sides, then put them in the crock / pot and continue.

This is the slow cooker variant, with the addition of browning the meat first.  Delicious.

To serve, use two forks to pull beef and potatoes into bite-sized pieces (or don't - I didn't).  Skim fat from broth.  Garnish with scallions and chili oil.  Serve with sautéed baby bok choy or similar crisp green.