Simmered Potatoes is perhaps the simplest simmered dish in Japanese cooking. It is also the simplest potato dish. It doesn’t require any special techniques or any special seasonings. Everything is put in a pot at once and cooked until the liquid evaporates.
Simmered Potatoes has rustic flavours, and it makes you want to eat it again and again. I think that the foods with a simple flavours are the ones that people want to repeatedly come back to. Restaurant food is delicious but that’s not what you want to eat every day. You will get sick of it.
Today’s dish is called ‘jagaimo no nikorogashi‘ (じゃがいもの煮転がし) or ‘jagaimo no nikkorogashi’ (じゃがいもの煮っ転がし) in Japanese. ‘Jagaimo’ (じゃがいも) means potato. ‘Nikorogasi’ (煮転がし) is a compound word that is made up of ‘niru’ (煮る, simmer) and ‘korogasu’ (転がす, roll).
It was given such a name because you cook the potato pieces by rolling them while simmering until the sauce almost evaporates. If you cook taro in the same way, it becomes ‘satoimo no nikorogashi’ (里芋の煮転がし). ‘Satoimo’ is taro in Japanese. The photo below is satoimo no nikorogashi, which you can make in the same way as Simmered Potatoes.
Some people call this cooking method ‘nikorogashi’ (煮転がし), some say ‘nikkorogashi’ (煮っ転がし) with a little ‘tsu’ (っ) in it. The little ‘tsu’ (っ) is a geminate consonant that is added for easier pronunciation. But in my view, the word with a little ‘tsu’ (っ) sounds less formal. I am sure the Japanese Emperor would call this dish nikorogashi. I call it nikkorogashi, of course.
What’s in my Simmered Potatoes (Jagaimo no Nikorogashi)
You only need potatoes and a few seasonings to make this simple but delicious dish. Some recipes used mirin and cooking sake as well, but I kept it simple.
- Potatoes cut into bite-size pieces
- Dashi stock
- Sugar
- Soy Sauce
Using the right kind of potatoes is important for this dish. You need to use starchy potatoes that are suited to a dish like mashed potatoes. Starchy potatoes break down easily around the edges when cooked and create a fluffy powdery texture around the potato pieces.
Varieties such as Russet (common in the US), Dutch Creams, King Edward or Red Delight are best suited. However, great all-purpose potatoes like Golden Delight, Coliban, Red Rascal, and Sebago (popular in Australia) still work great.
How to make Simmered Potatoes (Jagaimo no Nikorogashi)
It is so simple that I can only list 3 steps to make Nikorogashi. Since I did not make a video for this dish, I took photos showing detailed steps here.
- Leave the potato pieces in water for 5 minutes, then drain.
- Put the potatoes and all other ingredients in a shallow pot.
- Cook until the liquid evaporates.
There are two reasons why you leave the potatoes in water before cooking:
To prevent discolouration: You might have experienced this. The surface of the potatoes become pinkish when they are cut. This is caused by a chemical reaction between the enzymes and oxygen. By putting the potato pieces in water as you cut them, you can prevent this.
To remove starch: You might have noticed white liquid surfacing on the cut side of the potato pieces. That is starch and it makes the simmering liquid cloudy. If you are stir-frying potatoes, they will stick to the frying pan more easily if you don’t remove the starch on the surface of the potato pieces.
Well, that’s about it. Easy, right?
If you like potatoes (I know there are many potato lovers out there), you may want to try Jagaimo no Nikorogashi for a change. It’s healthy (no oil) and 100% vegan if you use konbu dashi. It is great even if served cold, which makes it a perfect side dish for a bento.
Yumiko
Simmered Potatoes is perhaps the simplest simmered dish in Japanese cooking. It is also the simplest potato dish. It requires no special techniques and no special seasonings. Everything is put in a pot at once and cooked until the liquid evaporates.
If you use vegetarian dashi stock such as konbu dashi, it becomes a vegan dish.
Don't forget to see the section 'MEAL IDEAS' below the recipe card! It gives you a list of dishes that I have already posted and this recipe that can make up a complete meal. I hope it is of help to you.
- 600g/1.3lb potatoes (note 1)
- 300ml/10.1fl.oz dashi stock
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
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Peel and cut potatoes into bite-size pieces (note 2).
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As you cut the potatoes, put the potato pieces in water (not in ingredients) and leave them for 5 minutes (note 3). Drain.
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Put potatoes and the rest of the ingredients in a pot and bring it to a boil.
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Reduce the heat to medium, and cover the surface with a sheet of aluminium foil. Cook for about 7 minutes or so until a bamboo skewer can get through the potato with a bit of resistance.
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Remove the foil and continue to cook until the liquid evaporates.
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When a very small amount of liquid is left in the pot, shake the pot vigorously (and even toss if you can) to force the edges of the potato pieces break (note 4).
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When the liquid completely evaporates, turn the heat off.
1. You need to use starchy potatoes that are suited to a dish like mashed potatoes. Starchy potatoes break down easily when cooked and create fluffy powdery texture around the potato pieces.
Varieties such as Russet (common in the US), Dutch Creams, King Edward or Red Delight are best suited. However, great all-purpose potatoes like Golden Delight, Coliban, Red Rascal, and Sebago (popular in Australia) still work great.
2. I quarter a potato lengthwise, then cut each piece perpendicular to the first cut into 2 or 3 pieces, depending on the size of the potato. It’s about 2.5cm/1” cubes.
3. This is to prevent discolouration as well as to remove starch on the surface of the potato pieces.
4. How much of the potato is broken around the edges depends on the type of potato you use. It doesn’t matter if you end up with a lot of powder around the potatoes or only a small amount of powdery bits around them.
5. Nikorgashi is great even if served cold. You can make ahead and have it when you feel like it. It keeps 2-3 days in the fridge.
6. Nutrition per serving.
serving: 238g calories: 156kcal fat: 0.8g (1%) saturated fat: 0.2g (1%) trans fat: 0.0g polyunsaturated fat: 0.2g monounsaturated fat: 0.2g cholesterol: 0.7mg (0%) sodium: 564mg (24%) potassium: 779mg (22%) carbohydrates: 33g (11%) dietary fibre: 3.2g (13%) sugar: 7.5g protein: 5.4g vitamin a: 0.1% vitamin c: 49% calcium: 1.8% iron: 7.5%
Meal Ideas
A typical Japanese meal consists of a main dish, a couple of side dishes, a soup and rice. I try to come up with a combination of dishes with a variety of flavours, colours, textures and make-ahead dishes.
Simmered Potatoes has a pronounced sweet soy flavour. So, I picked a main dish that has quite a different flavour from it. Although today’s dish is not a mashed potato, I thought a potato dish would go very well with a deep-fried dish.
Side dish 2 needs to be a palate cleanser. Any vinegar-based side dish or a dish with fresh daikon can do the job.
- Main: Deep-fried Horse Mackerel (Aji Fry) – or Tempura.
- Side dish 1: Simmered Potatoes (Jagaimo Nikorogashi) – today’s recipe, you can make ahead.
- Side dish 2: Daikon Salad with Pickled Plum Dressing – or sunomono dish (dishes dressed in vinegar) such as Cucumber and Seaweed Sunomono (Vinegar Dressing).
- Soup: Miso Soup of your choice from Miso Soup Ingredient Combinations or your favourite ingredients.
- Rice: Cooked Rice.
Works perfectly. Thank you.
Richard
Hi Richard, thanks for making this so quickly!
Lovely simple dish! Novel way to make potatoes.
Hi Poornims, thank you. just for a change.