Chikuzenni
A classic, hearty Japanese simmered dish (Nimono) traditionally served at New Year’s or in bento boxes. Chicken and a massive variety of root vegetables are slowly braised in a sweet soy-dashi broth until meltingly tender and deeply flavored.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb Chicken thighs cut into chunks
- 1/2 Lotus root Renkon, sliced
- 1/2 Carrot chopped roughly
- 4 fresh Shiitake mushrooms quartered
- 1/2 cup Bamboo shoot sliced
- 1/2 block Konnyaku torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 2 cups Dashi stock
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Mirin
- 2 tbsp Sake
- 1 tbsp Sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: Using the ‘Rangiri’ method, cut the carrot and lotus root into uneven, jagged chunks to maximize surface area. Tear the konnyaku into pieces by hand instead of cutting it with a knife (this helps it absorb flavor). Boil the konnyaku for 3 minutes to remove the smell, then drain.
- Sauté the Ingredients: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken chunks and sear until lightly browned. Add the lotus root, carrots, bamboo shoots, shiitake, and konnyaku. Stir-fry aggressively for 3 minutes to coat everything in oil.
- Braise: Pour the dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar directly into the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil and skim off any foam or scum from the surface.
- Simmer: Turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover the ingredients directly with a drop lid (Otoshibuta). Simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes until the root vegetables are incredibly tender and the broth has reduced to a thick glaze.
- Rest and Serve: Turn off the heat and let the Chikuzenni rest in the pot for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can penetrate deeply into the vegetables. Reheat gently before serving.
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