Potatoes weren’t cultivated in Japan until the 19th century, however they now feature in popular recipes such as nikujaga and Japanese curry. What’s more, washoku is defined by its use of seasonal ingredients, which makes baby potatoes a perfect choice for this Japanese recipe right now. (I’m writing at the end of May, and I’m in love with baby potatoes. This is a good season for me!)
Baby potatoes, also known as new potatoes or creamers, are potatoes of any variety, cultivated before completely maturing. They are small, waxy and thin-skinned, and have a creamy taste when cooked. They’re great for pan-frying, roasting, steaming, and make for a delicious potato salad. They don’t keep as well as mature potatoes, which means they’re usually found around the time when they’re typically harvested, in spring and early summer.
In this recipe the potatoes are first slightly cooked in the microwave (or boiled), then pan-fried and simmered with the teriyaki ingredients. Adapt the cooking time to the size of your potatoes and the strength of your stove – I find these cook a little faster with a gas stove, so I don’t cover them as long in order to help the sauce evaporate. Serve with some greens and your protein of choice. Or just snack on the baby taters. Mmmm 🙂
Teriyaki Potatoes
Ingredients
- 300 g baby potatoes
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp sake
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes, but don’t scrub too hard – you want to keep the skin on. Cut each potato in half, or in quarters if they’re big.
- Place the potatoes on a plate, cover with cling wrap and microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes (or boil them for 3 to 4 minutes).
- Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and fry the potatoes over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the potatoes have browned. Then wipe away the excess oil from the pan with a paper towel.
- Add the teriyaki ingredients to the pan and cover. Simmer over medium-low heat, flipping the potatoes occasionally, until they have cooked through and the liquid has almost completely evaporated, about 5 to 6 minutes. Dish out and enjoy!
