Recipes - Nabe Hot Pots 鍋のレシピー

Nabe (Japanese hot pots) keep us warmed through the cold winters. These are easy to make, easy to clean, and best of all, delicious. This article appeared in Metropolis magazine and includes some very easy nabe recipes.

http://archive.metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/720/localflavors.asp

Naizo Nabe (Offal Hot Pot)

Naizo (offal) restaurants are popular. Different organ meats (everything from snout to tail) can be eaten rare, grilled, or even in hot pots. This hot pot is filled with vegetables, tofu, and innards. The trick with these hot pots is that the offal usually needs to be cooked a long time until tender. This was at a restaurant in Tokyo. We were disappointed as the innards were very tough. We prefer ordering "nikomi" which is usually simmers all day long and is tender by the time customers come in the evening. For innards, rare and grilled is preferred.

Recipe - Buta Kimuchi Nabe (Pork and Kimchi Hot Pot) 豚キムチ

When the wind gets cold we turn to nabe that packs heat. This Korean hot pot gets its heat from spicy kimchi. It is satisfying, warms the body, and is finished with steamed rice and eggs for a unique porridge.

1/2 pound thinly sliced pork

1 block soft tofu

2 Japanese leeks, sliced into bite-size pieces

2 cups Napa cabbage kimchi

3 Tablespoons kochujan

optional:

Napa cabbage

enoki mushrooms

1 cup steamed rice

2 eggs

In a hot pot add water, pork, tofu, leeks, kimchi, and kochujan. Bring to a boil and then simmer.

When you are done with the contents of the nabe, add steamed rice and eggs. Simmer over low heat with the lid on until the eggs start to set.

Recipe - Pork Shabu Shabu 豚しゃぶしゃぶ

Some Japanese nabe cookbooks stress that simple is best and suggest limiting the number of ingredients to as few as possible. This simple pork shabu-shabu could not be easier with thin sliced pork, Japanese leeks, and hakusai (Napa cabbage). It is served with a momiji oroshi (spicy grated daikon) and ponzu. If there is leftover pork, you can blanch it in the hot broth and put it in the fridge, it is nice served cold over a salad.

1/2 pound thinly sliced pork

1/2 Napa cabbage (cut into bite size pieces)

3 Japanese leeks

6 cups kombu dashi

Bring the kombu dashi to heat. To the pot add a small bit of the vegetables. When the vegetables become tender quickly blanch the pork and then dip into the sauces.

Momiji oroshi recipe is listed below.

Recipe - Momiji Oroshi (Spicy Grated Daikon)

Momiji oroshi is simply grated daikon radish with dried chili pepper. It makes for a spicy dip for nabe (hot pots) and is easy to make.

Simply take a piece of fresh daikon and some dried chili peppers. With a cooking chopstick, make about five holes into the daikon, about the length of a chili pepper. Then go back to each hole inserting a chili pepper in with a chopstick as illustrated above. Then simply grate with a grater.

Momiji oroshi gets its colorful name from the maple leaves, that in the autumn turn a brilliant red color, represented by this color. Oroshi is for grated daikon radish.

This is nice with a pork shabu-shabu with vegetables.

Kue (Longtooth Grouper) Nabe (Hot Pot)

Kue (Longtooth Grouper) is an expensive Japanese fish that is in season in the winter. This nabe (hot pot) concluded a kue course meal which started off with sashimi of kue. As you can see in the top photo, the nabe included kue, tofu, shungiku (chrysanthemum leaves), leeks, and brown enoki mushrooms. After you are done eating the nabe, rice is added to the remaning flavorful broth and topped with scrambled eggs and chopped scallions for a rich porridge.

You can see how the portable gas burner is placed on the table, one for every two or three guests. No recipe in this posting, but you can get the basics of doing a seafood nabe.

Recipe - Ground Chicken and Vegetables

This very simple nabe (hot pot) is an easy way to get started for the novice. The key is to serve it with a ponzu sauce, a tart soy sauce. If you want, finish the nabe with some udon noodles in the remaining broth.

1/2 pound ground chicken
1 bunch enoki mushrooms
1/2 hakusai (Napa cabbage)
2 Japanese leeks (alternatively, 6 green onions)
8 fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 carrots

optional
kombu

ponzu sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup yuzu juice
1/2 cup mirin

optional
udon or ramen noodles

Season the ground chicken with salt and pepper. If you would like, add some chopped vegetables (leeks, shiitake) and shape into bite size balls. Cook up a small piece of the chicken mix in a saute pan to see if you like the flavor. Adjust as needed.

Cut the vegetables in bite size pieces. Cut the carrots into thin slices.

Make the ponzu sauce. Adjust seasonings as you like.

In a large nabe add cold water and a piece of kombu (optional). Bring to a simmer and remove the kombu. Add some ground chicken balls and vegetables and cook until done, as you eat the chicken and vegetables, continue to replenish.

When you are starting to get full, finish the contents of the nabe, leaving the broth, and bring to a rolling boil. Taste to see if it needs to be seasoned with more salt (or even some chicken stock) and add udon or ramen noodles.

Note: the kombu will bring more umami to the dish, but you will get a nice broth from the vegetables and chicken.

Tips on Cooking Nabe Hot Pots

With Thanksgiving lurking near I am pulling out bulky sweaters and my winter hats to keep me warm throughout the winter. In the kitchen we have pulled out our konro (portable gas heater) and nabe (hot pot). We are hosting our first nabe party of the season tomorrow and have started shopping for vegetables, kimchi, tofu, and thin sliced pork for a kimchi chige nabe.

Entertaining with nabe could not be any easier, and clean-up is a snap. Here is an article I wrote for Metropolis magazine on tips on cooking nabe at home - and it includes a recipe for a very simple mizutaki, chicken and vegetables nabe, perfect with a ponzu dipping sauce.

http://archive.metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/560/localflavors.asp