RECIPE
Mizutaki (Hot Pot) with Heritage Greens
A recipe so easy it’s almost not a recipe, courtesy of Janet Nagamine of Hikari FarmsJanet Nagamine of Hikari Farms loves to serve hot pot to friends and family. She disclaims that this method is so easy, it’s almost not a recipe. Once you get simmering, simply dip your favorite greens into the flavorful broth, and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Ingredients
2 packets bonito soup base, such as Kuze Fuku & Sons or Ajinomoto
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
10 oz extra firm tofu
6 to 8 oz shiitake mushrooms
3 bunches Japanese greens, such as komatsuna, mizuna, or shungiku
1/2 cup grated daikon radish or Tokyo turnip
1/2 cup noodle soup base, such as Kikkoman Memmi (see note in directions*)
Lemon wedges for squeezing
DIRECTIONS
In a donabe pot or Dutch oven set over a tabletop stove, combine the bonito soup base with about 5 cups of water, and bring to a simmer, following package instructions. Remove the packets, if necessary.
Cut the chicken thighs and tofu into cubes.
Thickly slice shiitake mushrooms.
Arrange the chicken, tofu, mushrooms, and greens on plates nearby.
In individual bowls, stir together about 2 tablespoons of grated daikon and about 2 tablespoons of the noodle soup base to make a slurry. Place the lemon wedges nearby.
Working with one ingredient at a time, add it to the hot pot to cook or warm through:
Add the chicken thighs and simmer until firm, about 3 minutes.
Add the tofu to warm through, 2 minutes.
Add the mushrooms until they turn silky, 5 minutes.
Add the greens last, blanching them quickly in the hot pot, just until tender and juicy.
Serve warm, shoveling all the ingredients directly into bowls, dipping in the daikon slurry, and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
*Note: If you don’t have the noodle soup base, you can also simply whisk together 6 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, and 2 teaspoons of sugar.
