Japanese-Style Beef Stew

This simple, savory beef stew is loaded with the warmth of soy, ginger, sweetness (best provided by mirin, the sweet Japanese cooking wine, but sugar or honey will do, too), winter squash and the peel and juice of a lemon. These simple and delicious counterpoints make a great stew that can be made in an hour. This recipe is highly adaptable so you can use butternut squash, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes depending on your preference. Traditionally served with white rice, you can serve with brown rice instead for a healthier meal. Squash, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, vitaminA and antioxidants that boost overall health. Red meat is high in saturated fat so you will want to trim the fat but it is a good source of protein and iron.

Makes: 4 servings
Time to cook: 60 minutes

Ingredients

· 1½ to 2 pounds boneless chuck in 1-inch to 1½-inch chunks

· 2 cups chicken stock, water or dashi (see note)

· ¼ cup soy sauce

· ¼ cup mirin, honey or sugar

· 10 nickel-size slices of ginger

· Black pepper to taste

· 1 lemon

· 1½ pounds peeled butternut, pumpkin or other winter squash or sweet potatoes in 1-inch chunks

· 2-3 scallions, chopped

Cooking Instructions

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, sear meat until nicely browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Transfer chunks to a medium-size casserole.

2. Add stock to the skillet, and cook over high heat, stirring and scraping until all the solids are integrated into the liquid. Pour into the casserole with soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and a couple of grindings of pepper. Peel lemon and add peel to the mixture. Juice lemon.

3. Cover and cook on top of stove (or in a 350-degree oven), maintaining a steady simmer. Stir after 30 minutes. Then check meat every 15 minutes.

4. When meat is nearly tender, about 45 minutes, stir in squash and continue to cook until squash is tender but not mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. stir in lemon juice and sprinkle chopped scallions over top of stew. Serve hot.

Tip: To make dashi, you need two ingredients that are probably not in your pantry: kelp, a seaweed; and dried bonito flakes. Both are sold inJapanese markets, where kelp is called konbu. You can also find kelp at any health food store. The process is simple: immerse a four-inch piece of kelp in two cups of water and warm it over low heat (do not boil) for about 10 minutes. Add a handful -- about half a cup is right -- of bonito flakes and turn off the heat. Let it sit for a few minutes, then strain.

Nutrition per serving
420 calories; 11 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 49 grams protein; 5 grams fiber; 6 grams sugar; 1272 milligrams sodium

Recipe by Mark Bittman, NY Times Cooking

‍