NIKUJAGA (JAPANESE BEEF AND POTATO STEW)

Serves 4 250–300g beef rump, skirt or fillet 1 large or 2 small onions, peeled 2 carrots, peeled 2 large baking potatoes, peeled 1 leek, washed and trimmed 1 tbsp vegetable oil 200g mange tout 500ml dashi or beef stock, or a mix of both 50ml mirin 50ml soy sauce 1 tbsp Worcestershire or Tonkatsu sauce 1 tbsp sake 1 tbsp caster or granulated sugar 4 portions cooked rice or noodles

1 Freeze beef for 30–45 mins to firm up, then slice very thinly across the grain.

2 Thinly slice onion, wedge carrots and potatoes, and cut leek into 4 pieces.

3 Heat oil in deep pan on medium heat, add onion and fry till starting to soften. Add all vegetables except mange tout.

4 Add the dashi and/or stock, the mirin, soy sauce, Worcestershire or Tonkatsu sauce, sake and sugar. Bring to high simmer, cover and simmer for 10–15 mins.

5 Add mange tout and cook for a further minute; take off heat. Add beef, to cook in the hot broth. Skim any scum off top. 6 Serve over noodles or with rice. ■ Japaneasy: Classic and Modern Japanese Recipes to (Actually) Cook at Home, by Tim Anderson (Hardie Grant). Photograph: Laura Edwards.