Soy-braised potatoes (Gamja jorim)
Everyday potato cubes in a light sweet-soy glaze. Use even pieces and stop when they are tender, so the finished side dish keeps its shape.
AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.
Ingredients
4 servings
Everyday kitchen measurements
For 4 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).
How to fill the cup and spoons
Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.
King Arthur Baking-
Substitute available
If Potatoes is unavailable
- Use instead
- Peeled sweet potatoes
- Substitute quantity
- 2 small sweet potatoesReference quantity: 400 g
Cut into 2 cm cubes. Start checking during the covered braise after 7–8 minutes; sweet potato often softens sooner. Stop when a fork enters easily and reduce the sauce only briefly. It tastes sweeter even without added sugar.
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Essential
Use the listed water for this stage. Blanching water is drained; braising water stays in the sauce. Add only small spoonfuls of hot water if a pan dries before the food is cooked.
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Substitute available
If Soy sauce is unavailable
- Use instead
- Regular light soy sauce or tamari
- Substitute quantity
- 2 level eating spoonsReference quantity: 30 ml
Use the replacement amount shown, not extra salt. Saltiness varies, so taste only after cooking. Tamari still contains soy; check the label for wheat. Dark sweet soy sauce is not an equal replacement.
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Substitute available
If Neutral cooking oil is unavailable
- Use instead
- Canola, sunflower or rice-bran oil
- Substitute quantity
- 1 level eating spoonReference quantity: 15 ml
Choose one unflavored oil and use the replacement amount shown. Keep the same heat and cooking steps. These replace the frying oil, not extra oil added on top.
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Optional
May be omitted. Leave it out of the sauce mixture. The result is less sweet and the glaze lighter; do not increase soy sauce to replace it.
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Optional
May be omitted. Skip its preparation and addition; cooking time is unchanged. The garlic aroma will be lighter. Omitting raw garlic in the seasoned vegetables gives a gentler flavor for children.
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Optional
May be omitted. Skip the finishing drizzle without adding extra frying oil. The toasted sesame aroma will be lighter; sesame is an allergen.
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Optional
May be omitted. Skip the final sprinkle or mixing. It supplies a nutty finish but is not needed for the food to cook. Sesame is an allergen.
Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.
Step-by-step cooking
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Step 1
Peel 2 medium potatoes, about 400 g total, and cut into even 2 cm cubes. Rinse away loose starch and drain well. Larger chunks take longer to cook. Use waxy potatoes if available; floury ones need gentler handling.
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Step 2
Mix 1 small paper cup water, 2 level tablespoons soy sauce and optional 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl. Set the optional 1 teaspoon minced garlic nearby. This is the whole braising liquid; sesame oil and seeds stay out until the end.
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Step 3
Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the drained potato cubes and gently move them for 3–4 minutes, until a few faces turn pale golden. They are still raw inside at this stage.
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Step 4
Pour in the mixed braising liquid and add the optional garlic. Bring to a boil, then partly cover and lower to medium-low for 10–12 minutes. Turn the cubes gently once halfway. If drying before tender, add hot water 1–2 tablespoons at a time.
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Step 5
Uncover and simmer for another 3–5 minutes, just until a fork enters a cube easily and the sauce lightly coats it. Different potatoes need different times: extend gently if hard, or stop earlier if tender. Leave a little glossy sauce rather than boiling to a hard sticky coating.
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Step 6
Turn off the heat. Add optional ½ teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Move gently, transfer to a small plate and divide into four side portions. Let children’s portions cool, as potato centers stay hot.
Finished dish
Keep refrigerated and use within 3–4 days. Contains soy; sauce may contain wheat. Sesame is present if the optional finish is used. Omitting sugar makes a savory braise with less glaze. This version does not need peppers, meat or rice wine. Use a small paper cup of 180 ml, a level ordinary eating spoon of about 15 ml and a small teaspoon of about 5 ml. Spoon and vegetable sizes vary; package weights are useful references. A quarter carrot or half onion is approximate. Photos show the original recipe including optional ingredients; replacements can change its appearance. These are small rice-side portions, not complete meals. Use clean serving utensils and keep the remaining batch separate. Put leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C, at 4°C or colder. If serving hot, reheat only the portion needed thoroughly to 74°C. Do not leave a lunchbox unrefrigerated all day.