Grandma's Recipes 
山口県 
* Photo is for reference 広島県 🌸 Spring · Summer · Autumn · Winter
Japanese Grandma's Stir-Fried Potato Kinpira (Jagaimo Kinpira)
Kinpira is a beloved Japanese cooking technique of stir-frying vegetables in sesame oil with a sweet soy sauce glaze. While burdock root is the classic choice, this Hiroshima grandmother's version uses julienned potatoes for a crispy-on-the-outside, tender-inside texture. The aroma of sesame oil is the signature of this dish.
🧂 Ingredients
servings
* In traditional Japanese grandma cooking, measurements are approximate — think of them as guidelines rather than exact amounts.
| Main Ingredients | |
| Potatoes | 3個 (approx. 450g) (Cut into thin matchsticks) |
| Seasonings | |
| Sesame oil | 大さじ1/2 |
| Mirin (sweet rice wine) | 大さじ1 |
| Mentsuyu (concentrated noodle soup base) | 大さじ2 (Can substitute with soy sauce + dashi) |
| Shiro-dashi (light-colored dashi concentrate) | 大さじ1 (Can substitute with dashi stock + a little soy sauce) |
| Sugar | 大さじ1 |
| White sesame seeds | 適量 (For finishing) |
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cut the potatoes into thin matchsticks and stir-fry in sesame oil.
💡 Cook over medium heat for about 7 minutes
- 2
When the potatoes turn golden, add the mirin, mentsuyu, shiro-dashi, and sugar. Stir-fry over medium heat for about 3 more minutes.
- 3
When the liquid has fully evaporated, reduce to low heat and sprinkle with white sesame seeds.
💡 Mix the sesame seeds in thoroughly
📖 Memories & Stories
Both my parents worked, so grandma often made dinner. Walking home from school, I'd smell the sesame oil from blocks away and know it was potato kinpira day. Even now, whenever I smell sesame oil, it brings back memories of grandma and my childhood.
Source: Written from memory (Submitted by: たくま)
🍽 Cultural Background
The name 'kinpira' is said to derive from Sakata Kimpira, a legendary strongman character from Edo-period puppet theater. While burdock root is the classic choice, potato kinpira offers a crispy texture and cooks quickly, making it a popular weeknight side dish. Stir-frying in sesame oil adds a nutty fragrance, and since the dish tastes great even at room temperature, it's perfect for bento lunch boxes.
