Korean Braised Potatoes (Gamja Jorim)

Not sure if it's the same case back in the states, but in Taiwan, while ordering Korean food from a department's food court, usually the customers also get to pick three side dishes to eat along with. Among all the wonderful Korean banchan, I've always choose gamja jorim first, aka Korean braised potatoes.

The Korean braised potatoes is especially good when the outside of the potatoes have become slightly mushy and blended together with the condensed sauce. And that, is what I'm going to aim for while putting up the homemade version of gamja jorim.

Korean braised potatoes (gamja jorim) - 

Ingredients?

• 750 grams potatoes
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 onion
• 1 string scallion
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons gochujang
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tablespoons preferred light-tasting cooking oil
• Some toasted white sesame seeds

How?

Peel and chop the onion. Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Fine chop the scallion. 

Peel and cut the potatoes to large bite size pieces. Soak the potato chunk in room temperature water for about 10 minutes. Once ready, give them a few swirls, drain out the liquid, then dry well with paper towel.

Use a pot or a big pan with some depth, drizzle 2 tablespoons of preferred light-tasting cooking oil then switch to medium heat. Add in chopped garlic and sear till slightly golden but not burnt. 

Transfer the potatoes over and sear till slightly darken on some sides.

Add in chopped onion and cook till the onion turns translucent.

Add 5 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1 cup of hot water. Mix till blended.

Bring the entire thing to a boil then lower the heat to keep it at a light bubbling stage. Continue to cook for about 15 more minutes, or till the potatoes reach desired texture. I prefer the potatoes be like fork tender in the center and mushy on the outside, and 15 minutes will reach that mark.

Towards the end, drizzle 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and give the potatoes a gentle mix. Garnish with chopped scallion and some toasted white sesame seeds before serving.    

Have I succeeded in creating mushy potato chunks on the outside? Yes, and I love it. Even the center of the potatoes were chopsticks tender but still able to hold up the shape without collapsing. A job well down, I said to myself.  

Other Korean recipes:

• SPAM and gochujang kimchi stew
• Spicy gochujang chicken rice bowls