Nikujaga (Japanese Style "Beef" and Potatoes)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
16 ounces vegan "steak" strips (I use Trader Joe's brand)
4 red potatoes, diced
2 carrots, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup snow peas, rinsed and trimmed
4 cups vegan "beef" broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon sugar
1) Heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or stock pot. Add carrots, onion, and bell peppers and heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add steak strips and heat another five minutes. Add potatoes, broth and salt and pepper. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Add soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and snow peas. Simmer for five minutes.
Source of recipe: This was my comfort food when I was living in Japan. It's the ultimate Japanese comfort food. The "beef" and potatoes are the stars by default (nikujaga means beef and potatoes in Japanese), but I added various vegetables to this version so that I was "eating the rainbow".
SO HOW'D IT GO?
I failed to mention that I always defrost and rinse the vegan steak strips (or chicken strips as the case may be) before using them. This lets the flavors you are actually cooking with be the star instead of whatever "light seasoning" the manufacturer uses.