Chikuzen-ni (Simmered Chicken and Root Vegetables)

Name: Chikuzen-ni (Simmered Chicken and Root Vegetables)
Yield: Serves 2–3 servings
Ingredients: 1 piece (about 7 oz/200 g) boneless, skin-on chicken thigh; Salt, to taste; 6 snow pea pods; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 1/2 cups dashi stock (add the soaking liquid from dried shiitake mushrooms) (about 360 ml); 3 tablespoons sake (for cooking); 4 dried shiitake mushrooms; 1 carrot; 4 taro roots (satoimo); 1/2 burdock root (gobo); 2 -inch piece lotus root (renkon) (about 2 inches/5 cm); 1/2 block konnyaku (yam cake); 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine); Pinch salt

宝酒造 @cook_40043147

The key to making this dish delicious is to first simmer the ingredients in dashi and sake. The chicken turns out moist and juicy. If you cut the vegetables into decorative shapes, it’s perfect for entertaining guests! Background of this recipe: I made this classic simmered dish using chicken thighs and root vegetables. Using sake helps the flavors soak in and gives a delicious finish.

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Ingredients

Serves 2–3 servings

1 piece(about 7 oz/200 g) boneless, skin-on chicken thigh
Salt, to taste
6snow pea pods
1 tablespoonvegetable oil
1 1/2 cupsdashi stock (add the soaking liquid from dried shiitake mushrooms) (about 360 ml)
3 tablespoonssake (for cooking)
[A]
4dried shiitake mushrooms
1carrot
4taro roots (satoimo)
1/2burdock root (gobo)
2-inch piece lotus root (renkon) (about 2 inches/5 cm)
1/2 blockkonnyaku (yam cake)
[B]
2 tablespoonssugar
2 1/2 tablespoonssoy sauce
2 tablespoonsmirin (sweet rice wine)
Pinchsalt

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Steps

1

This recipe uses mirin and sake for cooking.
2

Trim excess fat from the chicken thigh. Cut it in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 4 pieces. Sprinkle with salt.
3

Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in plenty of water until soft. Remove the stems and cut the caps in half. Reserve the soaking liquid to use in the dashi.
4

Peel the carrot and slice into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick rounds. Use a flower-shaped cutter if desired. For a decorative twist, carve the petals slightly from the center and twist to make 'twisted plum blossom' shapes.
5

Scrub the taro roots well. Cut off both ends, then peel the skin in sections to create a neat 6- or 8-sided shape.
6

Rub the peeled taro with salt to remove the sliminess, then rinse with water. Scrub the burdock root and slice diagonally into 1/4-inch (5–6 mm) thick pieces.
7

Peel the lotus root, trim around the holes to make a flower shape, and slice into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick half-moons.
8

Parboil the konnyaku, let it cool, then cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick slices. Make a slit in the center of each slice and twist one end through the slit to make 'tazuna konnyaku' (rein-shaped konnyaku).
9

Remove the ends from the snow peas, blanch briefly in salted water, then cut diagonally in half.
10

Heat the vegetable oil in a pot. Place the chicken skin-side down and sear. Flip and quickly stir-fry, then add all the [A] ingredients and stir-fry together.
11

Once everything is coated with oil, add the dashi stock and sake. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, cover with a drop lid (otoshibuta), and simmer for about 10 minutes until the root vegetables are tender.
12

Add the [B] ingredients and simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve in bowls and garnish with the snow peas.