It’s getting cold now and I love cooking a good meal such as a bowl of creamy Japanese stew. It’s rich, cozy, and full of sweet corn flavour. It’s the perfect dish for chilly evenings when you want something hearty but gentle.
I like making this dish because it brings together tender vegetables, soft potatoes, and a silky, buttery broth that warms you from the inside out. It’s the perfect meal for chilly evenings when you crave something hearty yet gentle, with a hint of sweetness that makes each spoonful feel like home.
These are some of the fresh ingredients you’ll need to make Japanese cream stew.
1) Prep and cook rice as usual if using.
2) Slice and cut all vegetables to bite size pieces.
3) Boil a pot of water with 1 tsp salt to blanche the broccoli. Once boiling add the broccoli florets and submerge. After boiling for 2 minutes, immediately transfer to iced or cold water for 2 minutes. Afterwards drain the broccoli.
4) In a large pot, add oil and saute onion over medium heat until translucent.
5) Add chicken and lightly brown all sides.
6) Stir in carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and corn.
7) Add 1 1/2 cups water and add one chicken bullion cube or chicken stock powder and 1-2 bay leaves. Cover and simmer 12-15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove the scum.
8) Now we are making the sauce (white roux).
9) In a separate saucepan, melt 4 tbsp butter over medium-low heat.
10) Add 5 tbsp flour, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until slightly golden and nutty.
11) Slowly whisk in 3 cups of warm milk, a bit at a time, until smooth and thickened.
12) Stir in a pinch of nutmeg if using. Remove from heat once creamy.
13) Pour the roux mixture into the pot with the cooked vegetables and chicken.
14) Stir gently as mixture thickens and becomes smooth.
15) Serve hot with or over steamed rice.
Cream Stew
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
- 1 1/2 cup broccolli florets (blanched 1-2 minutes)
- 1 corn on cobb (kernels cut off) or 3/4 cup canned corn, drained
- 6-7 mushrooms (button or cremini), sliced
- 300-400 g chicken thigh or breast
- 1-2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to tase
- 2 cups rice (optional)
Roux base (sauce)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk (warmed)
- pinch nutmeg
Directions
- Prep and cook rice as usual if using.
- Slice and cut all vegetables to bite size pieces.
- Boil a pot of water with 1 tsp salt to blanche the broccoli. Once boiling add the broccoli florets and submerge. After boiling for 2 minutes, immediately transfer to iced or cold water for 2 minutes. Afterwards drain the broccoli.
- In a large pot, add oil and saute onion over medium heat until translucent.
- Add chicken and lightly brown all sides.
- Stir in carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and corn.
- Add 1 1/2 cups water and add one chicken bullion cube or chicken stock powder and 1-2 bay leaves. Cover and simmer 12-15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove the scum.
- Now we are making the sauce (white roux).
- In a separate saucepan, melt 4 tbsp butter over medium-low heat.
- Add 5 tbsp flour, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until slightly golden and nutty.
- Slowly whisk in 3 cups of warm milk, a bit at a time, until smooth and thickened.
- Stir in a pinch of nutmeg if using. Remove from heat once creamy.
- Pour the roux mixture into the pot with the cooked vegetables and chicken.
- Stir gently as mixture thickens and becomes smooth.
- Serve hot with or over steamed rice.