Step 1

Gather all the ingredients.

Step 2

Cut the green beans in half or thirds, and bring water to a boil in a small saucepan.

Step 3

Blanch the green beans for a few minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.

Step 4

Cut the onion into wedges then cut them in half.

Step 5

Peel and cut the carrot into rolling wedges (We call this cutting technique “Rangiri”).

Step 6

Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters and soak them in water for 10 minutes to remove starch.

Step 7

Open the shirataki noodle package and drain the liquid. Cut the shirataki noodles into thirds (or shorter length).

Step 8

Cut the thinly sliced meat into smaller pieces.

Step 9

Press the “Sauté” button on your Instant Pot (I use 6 QT Instant Pot) and heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil.

Step 10

When the pot is hot, saute the onion. When the onion is coated with oil, add the meat and stir all together.

Step 11

Add the potatoes and carrots. And add the shirataki noodles.

Step 12

Add 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 cup (240 ml) dashi, 3 Tbsp mirin, 2 Tbsp sake, and 3 Tbsp soy sauce.

Step 13

Cover and lock the lid. Make sure the steam release handle points at “sealing” and not “venting”. Press the “Keep Warm/Cancel” button on the Instant Pot to stop sauté. Press the “meat/Stew” button to switch to the pressure cooking mode. Press “minus” button to change the cooking time to 15 minutes.

Step 14

If you’re using a stove-top pressure cooker, you won’t have the buttons to press. Just cook on high heat until high pressure is reached. Then reduce the heat to low but maintain high pressure for about 15 minutes.

Step 15

When it is finished cooking, the Instant Pot will switch automatically to a “Keep Warm” mode. Slide the steam release handle to the "Venting" position to let out steam until the float valve drops down, OR let the pressure release naturally (takes about 15 mins).

Step 16

Unlock the lid and taste the Nikujaga. If necessary, season with kosher salt. Toss in blanched green beans to heat up a little, and transfer to a serving dish.

Step 17

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month. Potatoes will change their texture, so I recommend removing them first before freezing.