Southern Clouds and Blessing: Japanese Original White Stew ホワイトシチュー

White stew is one of Japanese homemade dish which all kids like. This stew method is based on béchamel sauce or let's say milk. I've found the history of the white stew and what has become of it till today on House Foods Corporation.

When it started to get popular in Japan, about in 1960 ~, they didn't ever know béchamel sauce and used butter and flour instead just to thicken the soup. You know miso soup, don't you? :) The so-called stew was like miso soup which is slightly seasoned with butter and flour to get easily staffed.

After WWⅡ, a House Foods' staff tried to make again the stew that he used to have in childhood at school and he found there is a stew in Ireland that looks similar to one he had, which was Irish stew.

He produced "House Cream Stew" and it enabled people to have a delicious white stew (at the time the package said cream stew) easily at home.

Now we know we use béchamel sauce or milk and butter to complete the stew but it was such an amazing product and a revolution for home kitchen. So, this is how it's made and become our homemade dish in Japan. Check out House Foods Corporation's website to know what they're like and making. I'd say...it's like maggy or Quakers. :D or?

Give it a try. Hope you like it :)

5 chicken thighs (or 2 breasts), rinsed and pat dried

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 Tablespoon butter

1 large onion, sliced

1/4 cup/50g all-purpose flour

3 ½ cup/700ml Milk

2 potatoes, cut into cubes

1 carrot, cut into random cube

2 bay leaves (I didn't have them so I used oregano)

2 cube vegetable bouillon

[Optional]--------You can add:

Canned corn

Broccoli

Mushrooms

Directions.....>>>

1: Cut the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cut vegetables and set aside.

2: In a large pot, heat butter on medium heat and sauté onion and chicken.

3: When the chicken is cooked, add in flour and mix immediately. You don't want to burn flour and make clumps.

4: When all flour incorporated, stir in milk. Constantly scrape off the bottom of the pot with wooden spoon or a spatula.

5: Dump vegetables, bay leaves (I used dried oregano), and bouillon. Cover the pot with lid and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low (simmering) and cook for another 30 minutes or until carrot and potatoes are soft enough. Make sure to stir once in a while.