Today I’m showing you how to make a Korean side dish made of braised baby potatoes, called algamja-jorim in Korean. Gamja is Korean for potatoes, jorim means braised and al means egg, which refers to how small these potatoes are, like quail eggs.
When these baby potatoes are braised in soy sauce and rice syrup, they become an irresistible, easy-to-eat, sweet, salty, banchan (side dish) that goes well with rice. The secret to making perfect algamja-jorim is to get the potato skins crunchy and chewy at the same time and to keep the inside moist yet fluffy.
Well made algamja-jorim can go for hours without getting soggy, or losing their shine, which makes them a perfect dish for a Korean doshirak (lunchbox). You can make it in the morning, and by lunchtime it’ll still be perfect!
It’s also a good mitbanchan – something you can make ahead and keep in the fridge for days. Make this, and I guarantee you will be making it again, it’s so delicious, sweet, and savory. Have fun and let me know how yours turns out!
Ingredients
- 1 pound of baby potatoes (the size of quail eggs)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or any cooking oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice syrup (or honey, or sugar)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Directions
- Trim any rotten spots or broken edges from the potatoes. Wash and rinse in cold water to remove any dirt. Strain.
- Add the cooking oil to a 10 to 12 inch thick skillet, over medium heat. Add the potatoes.
- Cover and cook for 20 minutes until fully cooked. Shake and move the skillet every 5 minute so that the potatoes cook evenly and don’t burn.
- Turn down the heat to low and add the soy sauce, rice syrup, and garlic. Stir it all together with a wooden spoon.
- Turn up the heat to medium. Keep stirring and cooking for another 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced and the potatoes look shiny and wrinkly.
- Remove from the heat and mix with the sesame oil. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over top.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with rice. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 4 days.
Posted on Monday, March 30th, 2015 at 6:22 pm.
Tagged: algamjajorim, banchan, braised baby potatoes, braised potatoes, crisp sautéed potatotoes, 감자조림, 반찬, gamjajorim, 알감자조림, Korean cooking, Korean cuisine, korean food, Korean kitchen, Korean recipes, korean side dish, Korean soy-braised baby potatoes, Maangchi's Korean cooking, Maangchi's recipes, roasted baby potatoes, salute potatoes, sautéed potatoes with soy sauce, skillet braised potatoes, small potatoes, vegan dish, vegetarian food
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Hi maangchi! I made this dish and it turned out super delicious! I do not have rice syrup so I instead used brown sugar and it still came out so good. I love your recipes!
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It takes awhile to cook but the dish was very popular with my friends.
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Dear Maangchi,
I tried this recipe yesterday and it came out really well. It was hard to find rice syrup(i am from INDIA) and so I used honey 5 mins after cooking as it is not healthy to heat honey. But the potatoes got really wrinkled outside and cooked inside.. as an Indian this was a different recipe for me. Loved it totally. But few among my family found the potato skin a little unusual and bitter. Thanks for the recipe. Love you
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Wow looks perfectly shiny and wrinkly! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Maangchi!! I love you and your recipes! Thank you for sharing this. It’s my first time to cook algamja-jorim but it turned out amazing. Thank you!
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Wow each potato looks like a cute jewel, shiny and wrinkly! I can almost taste them: chewy skin and fluffy potato inside.
I made this side dish with my husband in mind. He really loves potatoes and any dish really that incorporates them into it. When I saw this video, I instantly thought of him and how he would enjoy the dish. Turns out two of our boys also enjoyed the dish and he ended being raided by a one and three year old every chance they got. It was cute to watch. Thank you for the wonderful recipe as it gave my family a wonderful memory!
Thank you for the recipe! I made it a couple times now and it’s great to go with rice and also so good as a little snack to keep in the fridge!
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I’ve made this a few times since seeing the video, but a few weeks ago I tried it with carrots. Just cutting them into chunks and cooking them the same way. They turned out delicious! My mother-in-law says that she wants to use the recipe on chicken next. Can’t wait to try this with so many different things!
I just made some of these and they are absolutely delicious, but my mom thinks they need some spicing up… If I picked up some gochujang, would that work? Or maybe some garlic salt?
Adding some gochujang sounds great to me!
I made these potatoes last night and they didn’t turn out exactly right, but were ok. I think the potatoes were too big. I couldn’t find ones as tiny as quail eggs, the ones I got were golfball-sized. I had to cook them longer and the sauce basically burned (turned black and tasted burned). If I can’t find the small potatoes, would fingerling potatoes work? Or should I microwave the potatoes to cook completely before putting them in the sauce?
Use my other potato side dish (gamja jorim) recipe, please. Good luck! https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/potato-side-dishes
Thank you for the recipe Mangchi!my family enjoyed it!
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I can’t wait to make these! I moved out of state in the beginning of last month, and I’m homesick for home-cooked meals. There aren’t as many Korean stores or restaurants in Las Vegas as there were in the Chicago suburbs, so I’m glad I found you when I did, and I paid attention to my Korean side as much as I have. Hopefully with your help, and years of watching Eoma, I’ll make both of you proud.
Good luck with your Korean cooking! Eomma (mom)’s food is the best! : )
I have three kids and zero creativity in the kitchen. Ever since I saw your video on Korean fried Chicken a few months ago I’ve started cooking up a storm! My family has enjoyed korean fried chicken, fried rice, and steamed buns. I made these potatoes tonight and it was another hit! You’ve made cooking so easy and fun for me and I can’t wait to do more. Thank you!
It sounds like your Korean cooking has been going well! Cheers!
I just bought baby potatoes, gonna try this recipe tomorrow. But I’m afraid I won’t find the syrup. What can I use as substitute?
Use honey or brown sugar. Good luck!
I just realized it’s already written in the ingredients, sorry.. Thank you so much! :)
Maangchi Maangchi I have two questions regarding the recipe haha~
(1) I have Korean corn syrup at home but I don’t have rice syrup. Can I use corn syrup for the recipe? Or will honey and sugar be better substitutes of rice syrup?
(2) Um… I don’t feel comfortable eating potato skin. Is it possible to cook the potatoes with their skin peeled? I am scared the potatoes will be out of shape (i.e. to mash with one another lol) without their skin on though…
Thanks!!
I never tried this without skin, but I assume it will go soggy without them. Also the skin isn’t as thick as full grown potatoes and actually taste good when cooked this way. You might give it a try
I would choose corn syrup if it’s available. The syrup will make the potatoes shiny. The potatoes are so tiny like a quail egg size that it will be pain for you to peel them. Besides the skins are very delicious and nutritious. Now it’s time for you to change to try out potato skins. : )