how to make nikujaga japanese beef and vegetables

How to Make Nikujaga (Japanese Beef and Vegetables).

Nikujaga (nee-ku-ya-ga) is a Japanese beef and vegetable dish. This meal is delicious, filling, and can be made in under 2 hours. This can serve 3 people with small portions.

Ingredients.

3-4 petite yellow potatoes.

1/2 cup or more of soy sauce.

1 Tablespoon aji-mirin.

3-5 tall carrots.

1 teaspoon of salt (1 teaspoon of salt per 2 cups of water).

2 pounds of chuck roast or beef strips (beef strips work well if you are low on time).

2 Tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil.

2 1/2 cups of sliced onions (purple, red, white or yellow onions all work).

4-6 edamame pods (shelled) (optional).

Part 1 Preparing the Vegetables.

1. Rinse the carrots and potatoes in cold water.

2. Cut the carrots into manageable rounds. Cut a 1/2 cup or more of carrots, depending on how much is going to be served to each person. Try having a 1/3 cup of carrot rounds per person.

To prevent the carrot rounds from breaking apart or flying away while cutting them, boil the tall carrots with their tops cut off for 2 minutes on low-medium heat. Avoid leaving the carrots on for too long as they’ll be added to the broth later and may turn out to be too soft or mushy.

3. Peel the potatoes. They do not have to be cut. These can be left whole if desired.

4. Boil water in a medium saucepan. Add a pinch of salt after seeing the first few bubbles form on the bottom.

5. Add the vegetables to the water. Let them boil on the medium-high setting for 15-20 minutes.

Part 2 Cooking the Meat.

1.Set a high-walled frying pan with oil to warm on the stovetop on medium-high heat.

The oil should be spreading on warm heat, but not popping. If it’s smoking or sizzling, turn down the heat.

2. Defrost and warm the chuck roasts. The chuck roasts can be fresh or frozen.

The chuck roasts can be submerged while in their packaging in cold tap water. Do not let the meat reach 40 °F (4 °C) as this is considered the “danger zone” for bacteria formation.

Do not let water touch the chuck roasts (this goes for any meat) as it may become watery and bacteria-ridden.

The chuck roasts can be defrosted in the microwave but will have to be used immediately afterwards as the temperature increase will result in faster bacteria formation and may cook a little while in the microwave.

3. Cut the chuck roasts into 1/4-inch thick strips and add them into the pan; turn on the medium-high heat setting if it isn’t on already.

The meat may sizzle or smoke at first but will stop after aji-mirin and soy sauce is added to the frying pan.

Avoid overcrowding the pan with meat as it will not cook evenly.

4. Pour in 1 tablespoon of aji-mirin and 1/2 cup of soy sauce for every 2 1/4-inch thick strips beef added. Some of the aji-mirin will be absorbed into the beef strips while cooking.

5. Season and flip the beef strips evenly. Turn the heat down as the strips get closer to being finished. This should take 5-7 minutes on medium heat depending on the heat setting.

Add more oil if the meat starts sticking to the pan.

6. Add a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of meat seasoning to the beef and vegetables as you gradually turn the heat down.

Part 3 Serving Nikujaga.

1. Take out separate bowls for each serving.

2. Add the 3-5 strips of meat into each bowl and spoon in the 2 or more types of vegetables depending on the portion size.

The broth left over from the vegetables can be spooned in for more flavor. Keep it hot or warm for the best results.

Things You’ll Need

Metal or silicon tongs.

Metal or silicon spatula.

Tall-walled pan or wok.

Serrated and paring knives.

Medium-sized bowls.

Medium saucepan.

Stovetop.

Measuring cups.

Measuring spoons.

Potato peeler (optional).

Februari 10, 2020

how to make vegetable pie

How to Make Vegetable Pie.

Vegetable pie is a great vegetarian meal that can be made in a host of various ways. Perfect for for cold nights or rainy days, this is true vegetarian comfort food. This recipe features an egg free pastry recipe and several suggestions to make a basic but delicious pie for your enjoyment. This pie is easily made as 1 large pie for the table, or 4 pot pies.

To serve 4.

Ingredients Pastry : 75g butter, 50ml sour cream, 1.5 cups plain flour, Cold water (as required).

Vegetable Filling : 1 onion, chopped, 1 carrot, peeled and diced, 1/2 stick celery, diced (or about 1/4 cup), 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed (or about 1 cup), 1 small zucchini / courgette, cubed, 1 cup peas (frozen is fine), 2 cloves or garlic chopped.

Sauce : 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of plain flour, 2 cups of milk, Salt and pepper.

Optional additional flavorings

1 tablespoon curry powder or your favored spice blend to taste

1 tablespoon vegetarian beef, chicken, or bacon gravy powder or 2 stock cubes (such as the vegan Massel brand)

2 tablespoons of chopped herbs such as parsley, oregano, thyme, chives.

Steps.

1. Gather your utensils & prepare your ingredients.

2. Prepare the pastry. In a food processor or other mixing bowl, combine butter and flour until blended, it should resemble fine crumbs. Add sour cream and pulse until combined. If necessary, add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time and pulse until it starts to form clumps of dough. Put aside in the fridge while you prepare your other ingredients.

3. Heat a large frying pan with a little oil or butter. Fry the carrots, onions and celery until golden brown. Add garlic and sweet potato with 1/2 cup of water. cover and simmer for 5 minutes. You may make the sauce during this time. Add zucchini and stir through, cook until vegetables are just tender. Take off the heat.

4. Make the sauce. Heat the butter and once melted, add the flour and optional spice seasonings if desired, Once combined, add the milk in batches, whisking over low heat until thick and smooth to the taste. Check for salt & pepper and add as required.

5. Combine sauce and vegetables. Add remaining peas and herbs if desired as these ingredients need minimal cooking. Place filling into the pie dish, casserole or individual serving dishes.

6. Roll out pastry thinly (approx 5mm or 1/5 of an inch) and top baking dish/s. Brush with milk or beaten egg if desired for a nice glaze.

7. Bake at 180C / 350F until pastry is golden and filling is warmed through. This is usually about 20-25 minutes.

8. Finished.

Tips.

You may use any combination of vegetables you wish, including leftover roast vegetables or add precooked lentils, chickpeas / garbanzo beans, or any other precooked legume to bulk it out, adding at the last stage when mixing with the sauce. Pumpkin or butternut squash is another nice choice.

For a treat, serve with chips or crisply baked potato wedges that have been brushed with oil and seasoned with spices, or brushed with lemon juice, olive oil and dried herbs (thyme & rosemary).

Instead of making this pastry, you may use your own recipe, or use mashed potato.

Ensure the sauce is well seasoned and the vegetables are cooked through.

Things You'll Need.

Knife, vegetable peeler, chopping board, measuring utensils.

Large pan or frying pan and wooden spoon

Medium saucepan and whisk

Pie dish (to hold at least 2 liters)

Desember 24, 2019

how to make kentucky burgoo

How to Make Kentucky Burgoo.

Kentucky burgoo is a traditional Kentucky stew made from various types of meat, vegetables, and chicken and beef stock. Making Kentucky burgoo is a long process but it will yield a delicious meal. To cook Kentucky burgoo, you need to brown the meat and then add the other ingredients. Kentucky burgoo can make a great dish for a holiday or other special event.





Ingredients.

3 tablespoons (45 mL) vegetable oil.

3-4 pounds (about 1,350 grams) of pork shoulder or country ribs cut into cubes.

2-3 pounds (about 1,350 grams) chuck roast, stew meat, or other cut of beef, cut into cubes.

3-5 chicken legs or thighs with the bones in.

1 chopped green pepper.

1 large chopped onion.

2 chopped carrots.

2 chopped celery ribs.

5 chopped garlic cloves.

1 quart (950 mL) chicken stock or broth.

1 quart (950 mL) beef stock or broth.

A 28-ounce (784 grams) can of crushed tomatoes.

2 large potatoes.

One pound (450 grams) bag of frozen corn.

A 14-ounce (392 grams) bag of frozen lima beans.

Salt and pepper.

4-8 tablespoons (60 to 120 mL) of Worcestershire sauce.





Part 1 Cooking the Meat.



1. Heat your oil. Measure your oil into a soup pot. Heat the oil over the stove on medium-high heat. To see if your oil is ready, drop something small like a grain of rice in the pan. If it sizzles, the oil is ready.



2. Salt the meats. While you wait for the oil to heat up, salt all your meats. This includes the pork shoulder or ribs, chuck roast or stew meat, and any other meat you're including. Salt all the meat generously on all sides.

Wash your hands before and after handling raw meat.



3. Add the meats to the pot. Once the oil is ready and the meats are salted, place the meats in the pot. Add the different types of meat at once. As you're working with a lot of meat, you'll likely have to work in batches. Make sure you can still easily move and flip the meat after adding it to the pan. Overcrowding will prevent the meat from browning properly.



4. Brown the meats on both sides. Use a wooden spoon to turn the meats over to make sure they're brown on both sides. Move the meats as necessary to get them completely brown on each side. Do not flip your meat over until the side touching the pan is completely brown.



5. Remove the meats and set aside. Once the meats are browned, remove them using a spatula or slotted spoon. Place the meats in a bowl and set them aside for now.





Part 2 Simmering the Soup.



1. Cook the onions, pepper, celery, and carrots. Add your onions, peppers, celery, and carrots to the same pot you used to brown the meat. Turn the heat to high. Cook the vegetables until they're browned.

You may need to add more oil if the vegetables start to steam or get stuck to the pan.

Cooking times vary depending on the precise heat of your stove and type of pot you're using.



2. Add the garlic. As soon as your vegetables brown, throw in the garlic. Cook the garlic for only one minute before proceeding with the cooking process.



3. Add back the meats. Take the bowl with the meats that you set aside earlier. Add the meats back to the pot with the vegetables and garlic.



4. Stir in broth and tomatoes. Once the meat is back in the pot, add both the chicken and beef broth. Then, add the can of crushed tomatoes. Stir all the ingredients until they're completely combined and then salt to taste.



5. Simmer for two hours. Let the mixture come to a simmer. Then, reduce the heat on the stove to a lower setting. Cover the pot and leave the ingredients simmering for two hours.

Check the pot periodically while it's simmering and do not leave the pot unattended. This is a fire hazard.



Part 3 Finishing the Burgoo.



1. Strip the meat from the bones. Use a spoon to fish out any pieces of meat that are attached to a bone. Strip the meat from the bones. Tear any larger chunks of meat into bite sized pieces and then throw them back in the pot.

Wait a few minutes between taking the meat out of the pot and removing it from the bone. Meat will be very hot when it's just been taken out of the pot.



2. Add the potatoes. If you have not already peeled and cut your potatoes, do so now. Then, toss the potatoes into the pot. Use a spoon to stir them into the remaining ingredients.



3. Stir in the worcester sauce. Measure out your 4-8 tablespoons (60 to 120 mL) of Worcestershire sauce and pour it into your mixture. Then, stir it into the soup until everything is combined.



4. Add the corn and lima beans. Add your one pound (450 grams) bag of frozen corn and 14-ounce (392 grams) bag of frozen lima beans Stir everything together until the ingredients are evenly combined.



5. Finish cooking your soup. After adding the corn and lima beans, let the soup cook for another 10 minutes. After 10 minutes have passed, you can serve your soup. Kentucky burgoo is traditionally served with hot sauce and corn bread on the side.

November 23, 2019