My Mom’s Korean Braised Potatoes Are Sticky, Savory, and Sweet

If you’ve ever eaten at a Korean restaurant, chances are you’ve seen these glossy little potatoes show up among the small plates of banchan that arrive at the table before the main dishes. With kimchi and fried fish stealing the spotlight, gamja jorim, or Korean braised potatoes, might get lost in the shadows, but they shouldn’t!

A little sweet, a little salty, and just a bit sticky, the potatoes are simmered in a simple soy sauce-based glaze until they’re tender and completely coated in flavor.

Recreating My Mom’s Version of Gamja Jorim

For me, gamja jorim is more than just a favorite banchan, it’s a dish that connects me to my mother. My mom made it often when I was growing up, but like most moms, she never measured a thing. My mom is gone now and I’ve spent years trying to recreate her food through what I like to call taste memories. I visualize her making the dish and I make it over and over again until I take that one bite where I find myself back in the kitchen with her, tasting and learning at her side.

Mom’s gamja jorim was pretty traditional, using soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and a drizzle of sesame oil to finish. One thing she did differently, though, was to peel and cut up Yukon gold potatoes into big chunks instead of using whole baby potatoes. She said that without the skin, the sweet and salty sauce soaked in more deeply, and she was right. Every bite had so much flavor.

I’ve also added a new step of my own: Before braising, I roast my potatoes on a hot sheet pan until they’re just starting to soften and start to take on color. It only takes about 15 minutes, but it gives the potatoes a sturdier texture that helps them stand up better to the braising process.

Once the potatoes are roasted, I add them to the braising sauce that I’ve already started reducing on the stovetop. The potatoes don’t need long to finish cooking, and the sauce quickly seeps inside and clings to them in a glossy glaze.

Classic Flavors

Traditionally, gamja jorim is made with a balance of sweet and savory flavors, though you can also add Korean pepper flakes, gochugaru, for a spicy kick (this dish is known as maeun gamja jorim).

My version stays on the classic mild side with a combination of soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, and mirin making a sauce that’s sweet without being too sweet, and savory without being overly salty. Finishing with sesame seeds and green onion adds crunch and freshness at the end.