Yosenabe Japanese Hot Pot Recipes

YOSENABE (JAPANESE HOT POT)

Steps:

• Boil Chinese cabbage in a large pot for about 8-10 minutes or until the thickest part of the stem becomes tender. Transfer the leaves from the pot to a strainer and drain.
• Using the same pot and water used for Chinese cabbage, blanch spinach for a minute until the colour of the leaves become bright green colour. Drain in a strainer and run cold water over the spinach to quickly cool it down so that it is no longer warm.
• Hold the bunch of Chinese cabbage vertically and squeeze out excess water. Do the same for the spinach.
• (Please see the photo steps below the recipe for the remaining steps below) Place a bamboo sushi mat (if you have one) or two layers of baking sheets made into a square with the width of the baking sheet on the cutting board.
• One leaf at a time, Chinese cabbage leaves need to be placed horizontally with the inside of the leaves facing up, slightly overlapping each other.
• Starting from the end closest to you, place a Chinese cabbage leaf on the mat/paper.
• Place a second leaf wrong way around so that the root end of the leaf is placed next to the tip of the leaf of the first cabbage leaf. Make sure that two leaves overlap slightly for continuity.
• The 3rd leaf will now be placed in the same direction as the first leaf. Repeat with two more leaves.
• Take half of the boiled spinach leaves and place them horizontally on your end of the Chinese cabbage, leaving a 1cm (3/8") gap.
• Starting from your end of the mat or baking paper, pick up the end of the mat/paper using both hands and start rolling the cabbage slowly using the mat/paper to support. Place the middle fingers and the index fingers onto the vegetables to secure them when rolling.
• Once the mat/paper goes over the rolled part of Chinese cabbage (be this time, Chinese cabbage covered the spinach (see the 3rd photo in the photo steps), move one hand to the outside of mat/paper to support the roll while pulling the mat/paper forward using the other hand.
• When completely rolled, squeeze the roll while the mat/paper is still on the roll so that excess water will be removed while keeping the log shape (excess water will make the soup stock thinner). If you tilt the roll vertically, water drains better.
• Repeat and make one more log. Cut the log into roughly 4cm (1 1/2") disks.
• Mix the Stock Ingredients together in a bowl or a jar.
• Group each ingredient together and place them in a wide shallow pot. I always place prawns and shells in the centre for dramatic effect when cooked.
• Pour the soup stock into the pot and heat over high heat with a lid on. Once it has started boiling, turn it down to medium low heat to simmer for about 5-8 minutes until all ingredients are cooked through.
• Serve immediately.
• Place ingredients on a large plate, grouping each ingredient together, accompanied by a pair of long chopsticks or tongs to pick up the ingredients (particularly seafood and met) and drop them into the pot.
• Add the soup stock into a pot and place it on a portable cook top. Bring it to a boil.
• Let each individual pick the ingredients of their choice and cook in the pot or let someone pick some ingredients and cook them in the pot for the others. You may need to adjust the heat depending on how full/empty the pot is.
• You will need a ladle or a large spoon to pick up delicate ingredients and soup from the pot as well as small bowls for individuals.
• Using individual's chopsticks or a ladle/spoon, take food from the pot into an individual bowl. Add some soup stock with a ladle/spoon to the bowl.
• Add a dash of shichimi togarashi to the bowl, if you are using it.

YOSENABE HOT POT

Steps:

• Cut an "X" at the top of the mushroom.
• Cut fish, and chicken into 1 1/2 inches squares.
• Soak clams in salted water for 5 to 6 hours to remove sand and rise well.
• Boil cabbage and spinach lightly.
• Put 3 cabbage leaves down on sushi mat, put par boiled spinach inside and roll.
• Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
• Put Dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sake in the pot, bring to boil.
• Put chicken, seafood, and vegetables in the order of time required cooking time.
• When cooking time is done, spoon in ingredients, into a bowl, serve with some ponzu-joyu sauce.

TSUKUNE MISO NABE (CHICKEN-MEATBALL HOT POT IN MISO BROTH)

Steps:

• Prepare the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs, and knead with your hands until the mix is smooth and shiny. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to shape and cook.
• Prepare the hot pot: Place a large donabe, Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and bring the dashi to a simmer. Add the mirin and tamari. Whisk in miso. (You can put the miso in a strainer and hold it directly in the broth as you whisk, so it dissolves smoothly.)
• With wet hands, shape the chicken mixture into tablespoon-size balls to make about 30 meatballs, then drop them into the simmering broth. Add the mushrooms and tofu. (If using very delicate tofu, wait and add it with the greens.)
• Bring the broth back up to a simmer, turn the heat down to low, and cover. Simmer gently until all the ingredients are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Add the greens, and cover for 1 more minute, then serve with sesame and togarashi.