Inspired by my maternal grandmother, Marion, I wanted to make a satisfying weeknight potato dish with enough heft to call dinner. All of my memories of her cooking are wrapped up in feelings of warmth and comfort, simple, honest food that tasted good and filled your belly. Although I’ve never had classic nikujaga, she would always make the traditional Okinawan dish rafute– pork belly slowly braised in brown sugar and soy sauce. Nikujaga, a sugar-soy based beef and potato stew from Japan is surely a close cousin. I thought an umami enriched chicken stock base would lighten the strong, dark braising liquid and make it suitable for sipping with a spoon.

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