Ground or thinly sliced pork is also an option. Add 4 cups (1 l) of the water to arrest the cooking process. Over medium heat, toast the spices for several minutes, shaking or stirring, until fragrant. Put the star anise, cinnamon, fennel, and coriander in a small stockpot, about 8-quart (8 l) capacity. Well-marbled cuts, such as rib eye, work best. Set aside with the apple, celery, carrot, and cabbage. You can also use thinly sliced beef instead. TIP: Ground beef that is 85 percent lean is preferable here. Serve hot or warm, sprinkled with scallions, if you like. Check the seasonings, adding salt if needed. (The liquid won't quite cover the solids.) Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Add the potatoes, brown sugar, broth, water, and soy sauce and stir to combine. Add the wine and briskly simmer, scraping up any caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, until almost evaporated. Add the onions, carrots, and ginger and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes.Ģ. Add the beef and cook, stirring often and breaking up the meat, just until it's no longer pink, about 2 minutes.

Published Ap11:00AM (EDT) Food stylist: Anna Billingskog. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Be sure to make a batch of Carla Lalli Music's Salsa Very Verde to drizzle over the top By Rick Martinez.

Serve with steamed rice, if you like.ġ yellow onion, halved lengthwise and thickly slicedġ large carrot, halved lengthwise and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch chunksġ 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh gingerġ 1/2 pounds potatoes (russets hold up well here), cut into 1-inch chunksĢ scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal (optional)ġ. This is also a good dish for nights when people will be eating dinner at different times just leave it on the back of the stove and spoon it out when needed. Unlike in America, stewed dishes in Japan tend to be very light and contain only a small amount of liquid, which is more of a flavorful broth than a 'sauce.' Like most stews, though, it reheats wells and tastes even better when the flavors have had time to meld, so don't hesitate to make it in advance or to double the recipe to ensure leftovers.

It's home cooking at its best, the kind of food you want to eat when you're tired or in a funk or under the weather. This recipe is based on a popular Japanese stewed dish called nikujaga (niku means 'meat ' jaga means 'potato'), which Kathy's mom often made when she was growing up.

Carla lalli music ginger beef