Nabe - the comfort food of Japanese winter

It’s in winter that you realise there’s more to Japanese cuisine than raw fish. When the chill kicks in, be sure to treat yourself to some hearty stewed or boiled dishes while tucked under the kotatsu - a traditional Japanese low table with a built-in heater and a heavy blanket.

“When I think of wintertime, I think of families or friends gathered around a hot pot (nabe) that is simmering on a cooker directly at the dining table” – says Atsuko Ikeda, founder of “Atsuko’s Kitchen” Japanese cooking classes in London. “Nabe is to the Japanese what Sunday roast is in the UK. It’s the ultimate soul food that you long for when you’re away from your close ones. I remember that when my brother moved to another city, he missed this family ritual so much, that he once called my mum and asked her to put the earphone close to the nabe pot, so he could hear the familiar simmering sound.”

Best of all, nabe require almost no effort – as long as you cut the ingredients in advance, diners will do the rest. “Preparing nabe is really simple, yet the results are superb” confirms Japanese food writer Yukari Elliott. “You boil vegetables and meat or fish in a pot and enjoy the umami flavour of each ingredient. Nabe is nutritious, yet low in calories, thus ideal if you are watching your weight.”

Another great thing about nabe is that you can use pretty much any ingredients you fancy. There are countless different types and flavours of hot pot dishes. Yose-nabe (literally “put-everything-together nabe”) features vegetables, tofu, seafood, fish and/or meat cooked together in flavoured dashi stock. Shabu-shabu consists of very thin slices of beef or pork that are swished in boiling broth for a few seconds (the name is supposed to imitate the swishing sound). Sukiyaki is beef simmered in sweetened soy sauce and dipped in raw egg. Oden is a mild-tasting mix of vegetables, beef skewers, eggs, fish, tofu and other ingredients, that you will often find simmering by the cashier of convenience stores.

While noodles are eaten year-round, they are particularly appealing on a cold winter day. The same goes for "kare raisu" (Japanese-style curry rice), first brought to Japan by the British when the country opened to the west in the late 19th century. “That’s why curry rice was considered Western food at first” says Yukari. “Nowadays, however, it’s one of Japan’s national foods and an all-time popular menu at school lunch.”

Winter is also the season for many varieties of fish, which accumulate fat to protect themselves from the cold. Winter’s star fish is fugu (blowfish), notorious for the poison contained in its liver, making it a forbidden dish for the emperor and his family. In restaurants, only specially licensed chefs are permitted to prepare the fish – hence also its price. In addition to fish, winter is the best season for shellfish, oysters and crabs being particular delicacies.

Winter dishes are typically seasoned with warming ginger, aromatic "yuzu" as well as spicy "shichimi" (Japanese seven-spices mix) and "sansho" (citrusy Japanese pepper). “Ginger is a powerful ingredient which increases your body temperature so it’s one of the reasons for having it in winter time. In western cuisine ginger is mostly used in sweets, such as gingerbread, but in Asia it’s almost indispensable in cooking, especially in dishes of Chinese origin,” says Atsuko.

Mizutake nabe from Fukuoka by Atsuko (Chicken meat balls and vegetables in broth with ponzu sauce)

Ingredients (for 4)


For "tsukune" (chicken meat balls): 400g chicken thigh fillets, minced 10g chives, finely chopped 1 tsp sea salt ¼ tsp ground black pepper 2 tsp grated ginger 1 egg 1 tbsp potato starch

Ponzu (citrus) dipping sauce: 60 ml dark soy sauce 60 ml mirin 60 ml rice vinegar 1 lime juice

For serving: "Yuzu gosho" (green chilli pepper paste with yuzu citrus) ½ daikon (long white radish) – optional

For the hot pot (nabe): 150g firm tofu, cut into 8 pieces ½ Chinese cabbage cut into 5 cm length 2 leeks, cut diagonally into 2 cm length 1 carrot sliced thinly 4 mushrooms without stems A bunch of wild rocket 1 l chicken stock

Preparation: To make chicken meat balls, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside. To prepare ponzu dipping sauce: combine soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar and lime juice. Peel and grate the daikon, strain away any water.

Cooking: Bring the chicken stock to boil in a pot, keep it boiling on a low heat. Add chicken balls making oval shapes using two spoons. Add the vegetables and bring back to boil. After the meat balls and vegetables are cooked (approx. 10-15 min) start serving them into small bowls, and season with the ponzu sauce, daikon and yuzu gosho. Keep on adding ingredients to the pot to fill in the empty space.

A hint: After the meat and vegetables are eaten, add some previously cooked rice to simmer for 10 min in low heat, and then pour a beaten egg to make a delicious porridge.

Japanese style curry rice by Yukari

Ingredients (for 4)

500g chicken thighs (deboned) (you can also use beef, pork, seafood or vegetables such as green pepper, eggplant etc.) 200g onions 140g carrots 250g potatoes 100g blocks of Japanese curry roux (instant curry blocks) 40g butter 650ml water Freshly grinded black peppers (optional)

Method

Debone and cut the chicken into large bite-sized pieces. Cut the onions in half and then slice thinly. Peel the carrots and chop into chunks. Peel the potatoes and quarter. Heat the butter in a large pot and fry the onions. When they become transparent, add the chicken and fry over medium heat until it’s coated with butter. Add the potatoes and carrots and fry for a further 3 minutes. Pour the water in the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiled, reduce heat and remove any scum. Place a lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and the chicken is cooked. Add the curry roux and stir until dissolved. Place a lid and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Arrange cooked rice on one half of the serving plates. Pour the curry on the other half of the plate.

Key Cut the chicken and the vegetables approximately the same size. Stir-fry the chicken and the vegetables quite well in order to keep their flavours. After adding curry roux, it’s easily burned. Stir frequently from the bottom of the pot in order to prevent burning.

© Japan Today