Comforting Chikuzen-ni (Japanese Simmered Chicken and Vegetables)

Name: Comforting Chikuzen-ni (Japanese Simmered Chicken and Vegetables)
Yield: Serves 4 (generous portion)
Ingredients: 1 piece (about 7 oz/200 grams) boneless, skinless chicken thigh; 1 small (about 2.5 oz/70 grams) carrot; 1/2 block (about 4 oz/120 grams) konnyaku (yam cake); 5 medium (about 5 oz/150 grams) taro root (satoimo); 1/2 pack (about 2.5 oz/70 grams) shimeji mushrooms (or shiitake); 1 small section (about 2.5 oz/70 grams) lotus root (renkon); 1/2 small (about 2.5 oz/70 grams) burdock root (gobo); 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; A few snow peas or green beans, if available; 3/4 cup water (200 ml); 1 teaspoon hondashi (Japanese soup stock granules); 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons sake (Japanese rice wine); 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)

ＪＵＮちゃン @junjun66

Having simmered dishes at home is so comforting. This is our family's Chikuzen-ni. Please give it a try if you'd like! Over 6,000 people have made this recipe—thank you so much!
Recipe background:
This is the way we've always made Chikuzen-ni at home. There are many Chikuzen-ni recipes out there, but I'm sharing this as a record of our family's flavor.

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Ingredients

Serves 4 (generous portion)

1 piece(about 7 oz/200 grams) boneless, skinless chicken thigh
1small (about 2.5 oz/70 grams) carrot
1/2 block(about 4 oz/120 grams) konnyaku (yam cake)
5medium (about 5 oz/150 grams) taro root (satoimo)
1/2 pack(about 2.5 oz/70 grams) shimeji mushrooms (or shiitake)
1small section (about 2.5 oz/70 grams) lotus root (renkon)
1/2small (about 2.5 oz/70 grams) burdock root (gobo)
1 tablespoonvegetable oil
A fewsnow peas or green beans, if available
3/4 cupwater (200 ml)
Seasonings
1 teaspoonhondashi (Japanese soup stock granules)
2 tablespoonssugar
2 tablespoonssake (Japanese rice wine)
2 tablespoonssoy sauce
1 tablespoonmirin (sweet rice wine)

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Steps

1

Cut the chicken thigh into bite-sized pieces. Marinate with 2 teaspoons each of soy sauce and sake (not included in the main ingredient list) for a quick seasoning.
2

Scrape the skin off the burdock root and slice it diagonally into 1/4-inch (7 mm) thick pieces. Soak in water to remove bitterness, changing the water occasionally.
3

Peel the lotus root and slice into 1/4-inch (7 mm) half-moon or quarter-moon pieces. Soak in water to prevent discoloration.
4

Pound the konnyaku lightly with a pestle or rolling pin, then tear it into bite-sized pieces by hand. Boil for about 5 minutes, then drain in a colander.
5

Peel the taro root, cut into bite-sized pieces, quickly boil, and drain in a colander.
6

Peel the carrot and cut into bite-sized chunks.
7

Remove the strings from the snow peas, and if large, slice diagonally. Trim the base from the shimeji mushrooms and separate them into small clusters.
8

Heat the vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the chicken. Since the oil may splatter, quickly cover with a lid and let it cook for a bit. Once browned, turn the pieces over.
9

Add the vegetables in order of longest to shortest cooking time: burdock root and carrot first, then konnyaku, then lotus root, and finally taro root and mushrooms. Stir-fry after each addition.
10

Once everything is coated with oil, add the water and hondashi (or substitute with dashi stock). When it comes to a boil and scum rises to the surface, skim it off.
11

Add the sugar and sake. Cover with a piece of aluminum foil directly on the surface (drop lid), then put the pot lid on. Lower the heat slightly and simmer for about 10 minutes.
12

Add the soy sauce. Continue simmering with the drop lid and the pot lid slightly ajar until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced. This took 7 minutes this time.
13

Add the snow peas and mirin. Increase the heat a bit and simmer, swirling the pot occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
14

It's ready to serve.
15

I tried cutting the lotus root and carrot into decorative shapes. This time I used green beans.
16

In June 2014, this recipe was featured in 'Carefully Selected! Vegetable Recipes.'