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–+ servings

Chikuzenni (Nishime/Gameni)

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Resting Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 5 portions

Ingredients 
 

  • 100 g carrot roughly cut (rangiri)
  • 100 g lotus root (renkon) 1cm slices
  • 100 g burdock root (gobo) roughly cut (rangiri)
  • 150 g Japanese taro (satoimo) (satoimo) rough bite-size pieces
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 300 g boneless chicken thigh skin-on, large bitesize pieces
  • 3 fresh shiitake mushroom quartered (or left whole for osechi)
  • 200 g konjac (konnyaku) roughly cut bite-size pieces
  • 500 ml dashi stock
  • 2 tsp light brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp sake
  • 4 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • 4 tbsp mirin
  • 10 snow peas

Finishing condiments

Instructions 

  • Start heating a pot of water with a steaming basket. While you wait for the water to boil, wash, peel and cut 100 g carrot, 100 g lotus root (renkon), 100 g burdock root (gobo) and 150 g Japanese taro (satoimo) according to the notes in the ingredient list. As each ingredient is cut, place the pieces in a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration.
    Cut burdock root, lotus root, taro and carrot soaking in a bowl of water
  • Once the water is boiling, place all the root vegetables in the steaming basket and steam for 10 minutes over medium heat. (When the time is up, immediately remove the basket from the heat to avoid overcooking.)
    steamed carrot, taro, burdock root and lotus root
  • Heat a large pot on medium and once hot, add 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil. Place 300 g boneless chicken thigh in the pot with the skin side down and sear on all sides.
    Sealing chicken thigh in a pan
  • Add the steamed root vegetables, 3 fresh shiitake mushroom and 200 g konjac (konnyaku) to the pot and mix until evenly distributed.
    Chizuzenni ingredients frying in a large frying pan
  • Next, add 500 ml dashi stock, 2 tsp light brown sugar and 4 tbsp sake.
    Chikuzenni ingredients in broth
  • Place a drop-lid (or piece of foil/baking paper) on top directly touching with the ingredients and broth. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half (approx 10 mins).
    Using foil to cover as a drop lid (otoshibuta)
  • Peel back the drop lid and add 4 tbsp mirin and 4 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), then tilt the pan to evenly distribute the condiments through the broth (don't mix). Place the drop lid back on and continue to cook until the liquid is reduced by one-third.
    Chikuzenni broth reduced
  • Optional step: For a deeper flavor, turn off the heat, cover and allow it to cool/rest for 1 hour. Once it's cool to the touch you can store it in the refrigerator.
    Chikuzenni broth reduced
  • Add the ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and 1 tbsp mirin to the pan, bring to boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Tilt the pan occasionally to move the liquid around, do not mix.
    Tilting pan of chikuzenni
  • Bring a small, separate pot of water to a rolling boil and blanch 10 snow peas for 30-60 seconds.
    Blanching snow peas in a small pot of water
  • Remove the snow peas from the pot using a mesh spoon and rinse them under cold water. Cut in half diagonally.
    Nikujaga: cutting snowpeas on wooden chopping board
  • Divide the chikuzenni into serving dishes and decorate with the blanched snow peas. Enjoy!
    Final chikuzenni in a mottled beige bowl topped with blanched snow peas

Notes

Traditionally people parboil each vegetable separately, but I used the steaming technique to make it quicker and easier.
If you don't want to wait for 1 hour to cool down, you can skip the step and add the finishing mirin and soy sauce straight away.