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1
Bring a medium-heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced beef in a single layer and cook briefly — thin shabu-shabu-cut slices require only seconds per side. Remove from the pot as soon as the meat loses its raw colour and any rendered fat begins to glisten. Overcooking at this stage toughens the meat irreversibly.
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2
In the same pot, combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. The broth should taste distinctly sweet-savoury — sweeter than a standard nimono. Adjust sugar if the sweetness is not pronounced.
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3
Add the onion wedges and carrots to the simmering broth. Cook until the onions begin to soften and turn translucent at their edges, and the carrots show the first signs of yielding when pressed with a spoon.
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4
Add the drained potato quarters and the konnyaku. Partially cover and simmer until the potatoes are fully tender when pierced — they must hold their shape as distinct pieces and must not dissolve into the broth. This is where the dish lives or dies: a floury potato or an overlong simmer produces mash in broth rather than nikujaga. Waxy varieties at correct doneness will yield cleanly to a skewer while retaining their form.
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5
Return the seared beef to the pot, submerging it briefly in the broth to warm through and allow its flavour to integrate. The broth will deepen in colour as the soy and meat juices combine. Do not simmer the meat further.
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6
Add the snap peas or snow peas in the final 2 minutes of cooking. They are done when their colour intensifies to a bright, clear green and they retain a firm snap between the fingers.