Gamja-jorim (Soy-Braised Potatoes)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide 10-inch skillet or shallow braising pan with lid
• •Colander
• •Flexible spatula or large spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut and rinse

   Cut the potatoes into even 2-centimeter cubes. Rinse them in cold water, then soak 10 minutes and drain well. This removes surface starch so the pieces stay distinct instead of turning the sauce cloudy and pasty.

   Dry the potatoes after draining. Wet potatoes sputter in oil and do not take the first light coating that helps their edges hold.
2. 2

   Start the potatoes

   Heat the oil in a wide skillet or shallow pot over medium heat. Add the drained potatoes and carrot, if using, and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the potato edges turn a little translucent. You are not browning them hard; you are setting the surface before the braise.

3. 3

   Add the braising sauce

   Stir in the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, 1/2 cup water, and minced garlic. Bring it to a steady simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pan for 8 minutes. The lid gives the potato time to cook through before the sauce reduces.

4. 4

   Reduce uncovered

   Uncover and simmer 4 to 6 minutes more, shaking the pan and turning the potatoes gently with a spoon. Stop stirring roughly. The potatoes should be tender when pierced but still squared at the corners, and the liquid should be reduced to a few glossy spoonfuls.

5. 5

   Glaze at the end

   Add the rice syrup and green chili, if using, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, turning the potatoes until the glaze clings. The syrup goes in late because it shines the sauce without burning before the potatoes are done.

6. 6

   Finish off heat

   Turn off the heat and fold in the sesame oil, sesame seeds, and scallion. Taste one piece. It should be savory first, gently sweet second, with the potato still tasting like potato. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold from the refrigerator with rice.

Chef Tips

• •Choose waxy or all-purpose potatoes, not very floury baking potatoes. Floury potatoes taste good but break down faster, and gamja-jorim should have clean little cubes, not mashed edges.
• •Do not make the sauce too sweet. One tablespoon sugar and one tablespoon syrup are enough for 450 grams of potatoes. The syrup is for gloss and cling, not for turning a banchan into candy.
• •A wide skillet is better than a narrow pot because the sauce reduces evenly. If the potatoes are piled deep, the bottom pieces overcook before the top ones are seasoned.
• •This is a good meal-prep banchan. Cool it fully, refrigerate it in a covered container, and eat within 4 days. The glaze thickens when cold, so let it sit 10 minutes at room temperature before serving if you want the shine back.

Advance Preparation

• •The potatoes can be peeled, cubed, and held in cold water up to 4 hours ahead. Drain and dry them before cooking, or the pan will cool down too much.
• •Gamja-jorim keeps well for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. It is meant to be eaten as banchan, so it does not need reheating, though you can warm it gently in a covered pan with 1 tablespoon water.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 160g)