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MORE ABOUT JAPANESE COOKING Vol.28 No.4 Janualy 2015 / TRADITIONAL RECIPE

Chikuzen-ni Simmered Chicken and Vegetables

This traditional recipe refers to an old name for northern Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu. Unlike typical simmered dishes, the ingredients in Chikuzen-ni—literally, “a simmered dish from Chikuzen”—are sautéed prior to simmering in dashi stock.

Calories
260kcal
Protein
11.6g
Fat
12.3g
(per serving)

Ingredients (Serves 4-5)

Dried shiitake
Dried shiitake
  • 4 dried shiitake mushrooms*1
  • 1 boneless chicken thigh, 250 g / 9 oz.
  • 2 t Kikkoman Soy Sauce
  • 2 t sake
  • Burdock root 100 g / 3.5 oz.
  • Lotus root 150 g / 5 oz.
  • Carrot 100 g / 3.5 oz.
  • 1 block of konjac, 200 g / 7 oz.
  • 6 snow peas
  • 1T vegetable oil
Seasonings
  • 480 + 120 ml / 2 + 1/2 C dashi stock
  • 3 T granulated sugar
  • 4 T Kikkoman Soy Sauce
  • 2 T sake
  • 2 T Kikkoman Manjo Mirin
  • *1 C (U.S. cup) = approx. 240 ml; 1 T = 15 ml; 1 t = 5 ml

Directions

  1. 1

    Several hours prior to cooking, soak dried shiitake mushrooms in water and then drain, cut off stems and cut into halves.

  2. 2

    Remove fat from chicken and cut into bite sizes. Marinate in 2 t soy sauce and 2 t sake for 10 minutes.

  3. 3

    Scrape off outer skin of the burdock root using the blunt edge of a knife; peel the lotus root and the carrot. Cut each of the vegetables into chunks. Then soak the burdock and lotus in separate bowls of water for 10 minutes.

  4. 4

    Cut the konjac into 8 mm- / 0.3 in.- thick slices, then make a slit down the center of each slice (photo 1). Insert one end of the konjac into its center cut (photo 2) to make the classic tazuna-konnyaku*2 twist (photo 3). Parboil the konjac and then drain. String the peas and parboil with a pinch of salt, then set aside.

  5. 5

    Heat vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat, and sauté the marinated chicken until it turns slightly white; add the drained burdock and lotus, carrot, konjac and shiitake. Cook together until all are coated with oil.

  6. 6

    Add 2 C dashi stock to the pot and bring to a boil, then return to medium heat. Skim foam from the top, cover with a drop-lid or parchment paper and simmer for 10 minutes. If dashi becomes dramatically reduced, add another 1/2 C dashi.

  7. 7

    Add granulated sugar and cover again to simmer for 3 minutes. Add soy sauce and sake, cover and simmer until broth is reduced to one-third. Add the mirin and stir a few times while simmering to make sure the ingredients are coated completely.

  8. 8

    Serve garnished with snow peas in a bowl.

  1. *1Japan has many varieties of dried shiitake mushrooms; of these, the fleshy-capped donko are the highest quality.
  2. *2This is a traditional decorative twist in Japanese cuisine. The literal meaning of tazuna is “reins.”

Recipe by Kikkoman Corporation

Vol. 28

Other recipes in this series

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