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Hero shot of Simmered Potatoes (Jagaimo no Nikorogashi).
Simmered Potatoes (Jagaimo Nikorogashi)
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Time to soak potatoes in water
5 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

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.

Recipe Type: Side
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: easy potato dishes, potato recipe
Serves: 4
Author: Yumiko
Ingredients (tbsp=15ml, cup=250ml)
Instructions
  1. Peel and cut potatoes into bite-size pieces (note 2).

  2. As you cut the potatoes, put the potato pieces in water (not in ingredients) and leave them for 5 minutes (note 3). Drain.

  3. Put potatoes and the rest of the ingredients in a pot and bring it to a boil.

  4. 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.

  5. Remove the foil and continue to cook until the liquid evaporates.

  6. 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).

  7. When the liquid completely evaporates, turn the heat off.

Recipe Notes

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%