煮ます（にます、nimasu）
- to stew

The Japanese verb 煮ます (読み方: にます) means "to boil," "to cook," or "to simmer" something in liquid. It generally implies cooking something in water or broth, often for a period of time to soften it or infuse it with flavor. The food is typically submerged in the liquid during the cooking process. The act of 煮ます focuses on the cooking method, emphasizing the use of liquid and heat. The process can range from gently simmering to boiling vigorously, depending on the food and desired outcome. The process involves cooking food in a liquid, often water, at a temperature below the boiling point. The process of 煮ます makes food tender and flavorful.

⚫︎ 野菜を煮ます。 Translation: I'll boil the vegetables. ⚫︎ 魚を醤油とみりんで煮ます。 Translation: I will simmer the fish in soy sauce and mirin.

⚫︎ 煮ます is used when describing the act of cooking something in a liquid (water, broth, sauce). ⚫︎ It's versatile and can be used for various dishes, from simple vegetables to complex stews. ⚫︎ The verb is conjugated according to the tense and politeness level of the sentence (e.g., 煮ました - "boiled/cooked," 煮て - "boiling/cooking", 煮ない - "won't boil/cook"). ⚫︎ The choice of liquid, and the additions (spices, other ingredients) depend on the recipe.

⚫︎ The base form is written in hiragana as にます. ⚫︎ The kanji form is 煮ます, and it is the most common way to write it. ⚫︎ The okurigana (送りがな) after the kanji 煮 is ます, as it is the standard conjugation ending.

⚫︎ ゆでる (yuderu) - to boil (often for a short time, like boiling eggs). ⚫︎ 煮込む (nikomu) - to simmer/stew (for a longer time, like a stew). ⚫︎ 炊く (taku) - to cook (usually rice).

⚫︎ 焼く (yaku) - to bake/grill/roast ⚫︎ 揚げる (ageru) - to fry

ジャガイモを柔らかくなるまで煮ます。 ・Translation: I'll boil the potatoes until they become soft. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the action of 煮ます, focusing on the cooking of potatoes to a specific texture.

カレーを作るために、野菜を煮ます。 ・Translation: I'll cook the vegetables to make curry. ・Explanation: This explains that the cooking method of 煮ます is used as a step in a larger recipe.

The etymology of 煮ます comes from the verb 煮る (nir-u), which is an older form. The kanji 煮 itself pictographically represents the action of boiling something. It shows an image related to boiling process. The ます suffix is a polite verb ending.