Ingredients for 4 Servings

Chinese cabbage (白菜/ Hakusai) 1/6
Enoki mushrooms (エノキ / Enoki) 1 pack
Carrot (にんじん / Ninjin) 1/4
Ginger (しょうが / Shōga) 30 g

Meatballs (肉団子 / Niku dango)
Ground chicken (鶏ひき肉 / Tori hikiniku) 200 g
Onion (玉ねぎ / Tamanegi) 1/2
Enoki mushrooms (エノキ / Enoki) 1 pack
Eggs (卵 / Tamago) 1
Ginger (しょうが / Shōga) 1 tbsp
Miso (味噌 / Miso) 1 1/2 tbsp

Nabe Base (鍋ベース / Nabe bēhsu)
Water (水 / Mizu) 1 l
Konbu (昆布 / Konbu) 1 piece (about 10 cm long)
Amazake (Amazake / 甘酒 ) 200 ml
Shiokōji (塩麹 / Shiokōji) 5 tbsp
Leeks (万能ネギ / Bannō-negi) 3 tbsp

How to Make

Nabe Base
1. Add the water to a pot, put the konbu into the water and let it soak for at least 30 minutes. Peel and julienne the ginger, and add it, together with the amazake and shiokōji, to the pot.

2. Coarsely cut the Chinese cabbage, so that each piece is about 3-4 cm on a side. Remove the roots from the enoki mushrooms and separate them into easy-to-eat portions. Skin the carrot and cut it into 5-mm-wide rounds. Finely chop the leek and set it aside.

 

Meatballs
3. Mince the onion. Remove the roots from the enoki mushrooms and cut the mushrooms in 5-mm lengths. Grate the ginger. Add the ground chicken, onion, mushrooms, grated ginger, egg, and miso to a mixing bowl and mix until you get a pasty texture.

4. Begin heating the pot with the water, konbu, etc. When it reaches a boil, add the Chinese cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms. This will bring the water below boiling temperature. When the water comes to a boil again, use a spoon to form a bite-size meatball and then place it in the boiling water. Repeat until all of the meat mixture is used.
5. When the meatballs are fully cooked, sprinkle the leeks into the pot. Serve in bowls. Try a bit of yuzu zest, kanzuri*, or ponzu to add another dimension to the flavor.

* Kanzuri is a condiment from the Joetsu area of Niigata Prefecture. It is the result of a rather complex, time-consuming process, but, in simple terms, is salted hot peppers fermented in yuzu and kōji.

 

 

Recipe Developed by Machiko Tateno

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