Omma’s Gamja Jorim (Braised Potatoes)
Why This Gamja Jorim Recipe Is Different.
I love braised tomatoes and my mom knows it, which is why she makes me Gamja Jorim almost every time I come over to her house. There are lots of braised potato recipes out there (including this one!), but this particular recipe for Gamja Jorim is—wait for it—simplified! I’ve reduced this recipe down to just a handful or ingredients, so that it’s too easy to make, while maintaining that explosion of flavor that makes Gamja Jorim so popular.
What Does “Gamja Jorim” Mean?
What is Gamja Jorim, you ask? “Gamja” means potato and “jorim” means braised. The potatoes are braised in a mouthwatering broth over a period of time, until they are almost break apart tender. If you love potatoes, you will love this dish, not only because it tastes amazing, but because it takes so little effort to prepare.
How To Eat Gamja Jorim.
My mom made this for us the other day when we came over for Father’s Day lunch. My husband could not stop raving about the potatoes and luckily, there was plenty for us to take home and eat again for dinner. We threw them into a bowl of rice, together with some sautéed greens, sprouts, zucchini, and mushrooms, and we had ourselves a perfect bibimbap. Of course, they are also good all by themselves.
Tips For Making The BEST Gamja Jorim Ever.
- Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces—if they are too large, they will take too long to cook.
- Make sure to get some color on your potatoes before adding any liquid.
- If you can’t find Korean chilis, use green bell peppers or jalapenos (if you can take the heat!). DO add some kind of peppers, though.
- After adding the braising liquid, cover the potatoes—the steam will help them cook faster.
- Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes of cooking (when your potatoes are just about done), so they don’t turn mushy.
Video.
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Recipe Card
Omma’s Gamja Jorim (Braised Potatoes)
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 large potatoes chopped into bite size pieces
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 red onion chopped
- 3 Korean chili peppers can sub green peppers or jalapenos
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce use GF to make the recipe GF
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 cup water
- salt
- pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a large pan over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmery, add 3 potatoes chopped into bite sized pieces
- Allow the potatoes to cook in the pan for about 4 minutes, until they start to get browned. Then, add 3-4 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 chopped red onion, and 3 sliced Korean chili peppers. Season with salt and pepper.
- Continue to cook the veggies in the pan until onions start to grow translucent (~3 minutes). Add 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce and 1 ½ tbsp maple syrup. Stir until veggies are evenly coated.
- Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Then, cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for approximately 12 minutes, removing the lid every once in awhile to baste the potatoes with the braising liquid.
- When potatoes are almost done cooking, remove the lid altogether and continue “basting” until liquid is reduced and thick and potatoes are tender.
- Drizzle potatoes with 1 tsp of sesame oil and add 1 tsp of toasted sesame seeds, just before serving.
Comments & Questions.
July 7, 2020
Join The Discussion
July 7, 2020
I tried this recipe yesterday for the first time and it was so delicious while being super easy to make! Gamja Jorim might have just become one of my favorite dishes. Even my father loved it (he is a picky eater, even tho he’d never admit to it 😉 )
Julia!! That makes me so so happy! I love gamja jorim too, and my own parents are BIG FANS of this dish! my mom makes it the BEST!!!
what type of potato is best for this dish? looks delicious!!
Hi! I really like using Yukon gold potatoes, b/c they are less starchy. But my mom really likes Idaho potatoes, so you can probably use any old potato you like!! Good luck–this is a real winner!!