Al Gamja Jorim (Braised Baby Potatoes)
A sweet and salty side dish of peeled baby potatoes braised until delightfully chewy in a savory soy sauce glaze.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This side dish features firm baby potatoes, peeled and simmered slowly in a seasoned soy sauce broth. Instead of boiling them first, they cook directly in the seasoning from the start so the flavor soaks all the way through, finishing over high heat until glossy, chewy, and coated like candied sweet potatoes.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Baby potatoesabout 20, 400 g
- Water1 1/2 cups
Braising sauce
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))4 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)4 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Peel all the baby potatoes so they cook up tender.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
These baby potatoes are smaller than apricots.
Usually they are braised with the skins on, but today I am peeling them all to make them tender.
Cook the potatoes
In a braising pan, add the potatoes, 1 1/2 cups water, 4 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 2 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), and 4 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot).
Do not pour in too much water; just enough so the potatoes are barely submerged is fine.
Once it comes to a rolling boil, lower the heat to cook the potatoes through. Turn the potatoes once or twice while they cook since they are not completely submerged. When the soy sauce liquid has reduced by about half, poke them with a chopstick and they should be almost fully cooked.
If they seem undercooked, simply add a little more water and simmer until tender.
Glaze and reduce
Raise the heat to high to reduce the remaining liquid; as time passes, it will become glossy.
When large bubbles boil up vigorously, the sauce will thicken; stir and scrape the bottom with a spatula so it does not scorch as it reduces.
If you feel it lacks sweetness, you can add more corn syrup at this point.
Do not reduce it completely; leave two or three tablespoons of sauce at the bottom, then turn off the heat and finish with toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.
Finish
Because the baby potatoes were peeled before braising, they almost look like braised chestnuts.
Simmered in the soy sauce liquid right from the start rather than boiled separately beforehand, the flavors have soaked in thoroughly.
As they cool, the soy sauce glaze clings thickly, giving them a texture just like mattang (candied sweet potatoes).
When you break one open, it really looks like a braised chestnut inside.
Baby potatoes are firm, so even when peeled and braised for a long time, they do not break apart.
Peeling them takes some time, but after that, all you need to do is pour in the soy sauce liquid, check on them occasionally, and pay close attention right at the end while reducing.
Ppunwife's tips
- Do not pour in too much water; just enough so the potatoes are barely submerged is fine.
- Turn the potatoes once or twice while they cook since they are not completely submerged.
- If they seem undercooked, simply add a little more water and simmer until tender.
- When large bubbles boil up vigorously, the sauce will thicken; stir and scrape the bottom with a spatula so it does not scorch as it reduces.
- Do not reduce it completely; leave two or three tablespoons of sauce at the bottom, then turn off the heat and finish with toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.
FAQ
Can I braise the baby potatoes with their skins on?
Braising them with the skins on gives them a characteristic chewy texture, while peeling them as in this recipe yields a tender result.
What should I do if the potatoes are not cooked through to the center?
When the soy sauce seasoning has reduced by about half, poke them with a chopstick; if they are still undercooked, add more water and continue simmering until fully tender.
How much should I reduce the seasoning sauce?
Do not cook it completely dry; turn off the heat when two or three tablespoons of sauce remain at the bottom, then finish by stirring in toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.
How can I adjust the dish if I want it sweeter?
When the sauce boils with large bubbles over high heat and begins to thicken, you can add more corn syrup to taste to adjust the sweetness.
