Niku Jyaga (Braised Meat With Potatoes)

Do you know that the word "jyaga"-imo (Japanese name for potatoes) is derived from the word Jagarata (old name of Jakarta, now capital city of Indonesia).  Japanese named it from Jagarata because that is how potatoes arrived in Japan, it came from Jagarata.   Some Japanese who have travelled South and lived in Jagarata in the past, brought back potatoes and started potatoes cultivation here.

See photo (top left) for Niku Jyaga

What you need to make Niku Jyaga:

200 gram of thinly sliced pork meat

5-6 potatoes

1 whole onions

2 tbsp of sugar

2 tbsp of soy sauce

2 tbsp of sake

1 1/2 cup of dashi (preferably use Japanese type of broth)

1 tbsp of salad oil

It is very easy to make:

1. Peel potatoes and onions (also the meat if they are not yet cut into thin slices).   Cut them into edible slices.   Some people may like finely cut onions, which is also OK.

2. Fry the onions in the pot you will use for cooking.   Use salad oil for frying.

3. Also fry the meat and then put the potatoes into the mixture.

4. Put all the required sauces, then pour dashi.

5. Cook until potatoes becomes tender.    Put a lid, however, it is better to let a little bit of steam out of the lid as you cook.

Chicken Wings and Potatoes (ref. Collagen - February 9th 2009)

Ingredients:

10 Chicken wings (alternatively chicken feet*)

5 Potatoes 

2 tbsp of soy sauce

1 tbsp of sugar

1 tbsp of mirin (check out local chinese/japanese shop)*

150 cc of Water

*alternatively make your own substitute for mirin (=sake+sugar)

**if possible use a ceramic/glass cooking pot with heavy lid 

How to make:

1. Peel potatoes and cut them into cubes (edible size)

2. Put potatoes and chicken feet in a pot** (alternatively use ordinary stainless pot, but cook at lower fire - i.e. cook slowly for better taste)

3. Pour all the ingredients necessary and boil until all the sauce is absorbed in the meat and potatoes.   Use medium fire in the beginning then adjust to low fire towards the end.

Enjoy!

Potatoes For Skin & Anti Ageing

Potatoes contain lots of vitamin C which is very effective in 

helping the skin to produce collagen and strengthening blood 

vessels and nervous system.  

Vitamin C is widely used in skin products to prevent spots/

freckles and anti-ageing supplement.  

Some "easy to get" vegetables/fruits that contain lots of vitamin 

C are (in brackets is amount of vitamin C per 100 gram intake):

Lemon (100mg), Persimmon (70mg), Kiwi Fruit (69mg)

Red pepper (170mg), Broussel sprouts (160mg), Parsely (120)

Potatoes (35mg), Sweet potatoes (15mg)

Easy To Make Potato Recipe - Curry Potato Fry (low calorie)

Ingredients:

Potato 2 (about 300g = 105mg of vitamin C)

Salad oil 1/2 tbsp

Curry powder 1/2 tsp　(1tbsp if you like stronger curry taste)

Minced meat (you can use beef or pork or both) 50 gr

Salt adjust according to taste

Parsely to decorate

How to Make:

1. Peel potatoes and wash them clean.  Cut potatoes into thin slices and put these slices into a bowl of water for 7-8 minutes

Then take the slices of potatoes out and put them on a clean towel to dry

2. Fry the minced meat and sprinkle salt and pepper lightly. After being well fried, move it to a separate bowl.

3. Put salad oil in frying pan and fry the sliced potatoes until they change color.

4. Pour the curry powder, fried minced meat and continue to fry, then adjust taste by adding salt if necessary