Chikuzenni (Simmered Chicken and Vegetables)
Simmered chicken and vegetables, Chikuzenni, is one of the dishes often served on New Year’s Day. The flavour of chikuzenni is a typical combination of dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar but the ingredients are stir-fried first so the dish is much richer than other simmered dishes.This is my way of making chikuzenni using a standard cooking method.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 120 g (4.2oz) chicken thigh fillet, (cut into 4 cm (1½") cubes)
- 100 g (3.5oz) carrot, (roll cut into bite size pieces (note 1))
- 100 g (3.5oz) boiled bamboo shoots, (cut into bite size pieces (note 2))
- 100 g (3.5oz) burdock, (roll cut into bite size pieces (note 1))
- 100 g (3.5oz) lotus root, (sliced into 1.5cm (½”) thick (note 3))
- ½ pack of konnyaku ((note 4))
- 6 small dried shiitake mushroom, (rehydrated, stem removed, preserve shiitake liquid (note 5))
- 60 g (2.1oz) snow peas
- 1 tbsp oil
- 200 ml (6.8oz) dashi stock
- 100 ml (3.4oz) shiitake liquid
- 3 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 2½ tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- 1
Thinly slice konnyaku into 5mm (3/16") thick pieces. Make 2.5cm (1") incision in the centre of each slice lengthwise. Put one end through the incision and make a twisted konnyaku (note 4).
- 2
Boil water in a small pot and blanch konnyaku for 30 seconds or so (or pour boiling water over the konnyaku in a sieve). This will set the twists of the konnyaku and prevent the konnyaku from being untwisted. It also removes the unique konnyaku smell.
- 3
Blanch snow peas in a small pot with a pinch of salt. (note 6)
- 4
Add the oil in a large pot and heat over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until the outside of the chicken pieces are cooked.
- 5
Add carrot, bamboo shoots, burdock, lotus root and konnyaku to the pot. Stir for a few minutes until outside of the vegetables is slightly cooked. Then add shiitake and stir.
- 6
Add the Flavouring Ingredients to the pot and bring it to a boil. If scum surfaces, remove.
- 7
Reduce heat to medium, place a drop lid (note 7) and cook for 10 minutes with the lid on.
- 8
Turn the heat off. Place the chikuzenni into a shallow bowl or a deep plate, scatter the snow peas to decorate.