Umani Japanese Stew Of Root Vegetables Seaweed And Chicken Recipes

Rich Japanese stew similar to nishime. Made primarily with root vegetables and a small amount of meat with a soy sauce and sugar base. Also common to both dishes is the use of konnyaku (a tasteless and calorie-less jelly-like cake made from a tuber root called devil's tongue) and kombu (strips of seaweed). Traditionally, the stew is simmered until cooked, then cooled and reheated, a process that may be repeated several times. This infuses the soy-sugar flavors deeply into the ingredients and leaves very little soupiness. You can approximate this procedure simply by making your nishime/umani a day ahead and refrigerating it overnight, then reheating. The dish may be adapted to include more of the veggies you like, less of what you don't like. Many people also like adding tiny Japanese taro (araimo). Konnyaku (aka konjac/yam cake) is found in the refrigerated section near the tofu. Use either the white, refined type or the brown, unrefined version. Shirataki noodles would be near the tofu as well (I found them at a health food store; apparently they're great for low-carbers) You can make a quick and easy dashi by putting 1 strip of kelp and 1/2 cup bonito flakes (I found them right next to each other in the Asian section of the same store) in 4 cups water or veggie stock and bring it to a boil; as soon as it boils, remove from heat and strain the dashi into a bowl. Burdock root should be found with the fresh produce or use reconstituted dried burdock root.

Provided by littleturtle

Categories     Stew

Time 50m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

• Ingredients

Nutrition Facts : Calories 272.7, Fat 14.6, SaturatedFat 3.6, Cholesterol 53.1, Sodium 2084.5, Carbohydrate 18.4, Fiber 3, Sugar 10.5, Protein 17.7

This vegetable-rich stew is based on a Japanese nimono, a simmered dish flavored with kombu, soy sauce and dried shiitake mushroom caps. Although the ingredients may take some searching (check Japanese or Asian markets, or online), the cooking itself is no harder than the usual chicken soup, and the results are just as comforting. You can substitute other root vegetables for the ones called for here. Just make sure to add the sturdier chunks first (taro, celery root, burdock, kohlrabi, turnip, beets) so they have enough time to cook before adding the quicker-cooking ones (turnips, sweet potatoes, winter squash). If you want to make this vegetarian, you can leave out the chicken. It works equally well. Adding cubes of tofu or pieces of fish or seafood during the last few minutes of cooking is also a nice way to go.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     soups and stews, main course

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

• Ingredients

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 322, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 25 grams, Fat 6 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 28 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 722 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams