Yosenabe (Japanese Hot Pot)

Ingredients

Fish and Meat

• 150g (5.3oz) white meat fish fillets, cut into bite size pieces (I used blue eye cod)
• 4 medium size prawns (shrimps), deveined (note 1)
• 4 mussels , beard removed, shell cleaned
• 150g (5.3oz) chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite size pieces

Vegetables

• 10 Chinese cabbage leaves (350g (12.3oz))
• ½ bunch spinach (100g (3.5oz))
• 50g (1.8oz) carrot, diagonally sliced into 5cm (2”) lengths
• 2 stems of shallots (scallions), diagonally sliced into 5cm (2") lengths
• 6 shiitake mushrooms , stem removed (note 2)
• 150g (5.3oz) or ½ pack of firm tofu, cut into 6 small blocks
• 150g (5.3oz) or ½ pack of knotted shirataki, rinsed and drained (note 3)

Soup Stock

• 600ml (20.3oz) dashi stock (note 4)
• 40ml (1.4oz) light soy sauce (note 5)
• 1 tbsp sake (Japanese rice wine)
• ½ tbsp mirin

Topping (optional)

• Shichimi togarashi (more details in my post Tonjiru)

Instructions

Make Chinese Cabbage Rolls (note 6)

• Boil Chinese cabbage during a giant pot for regarding 8-10 minutes or till the thickest a part of the stem becomes tender. Transfer the leaves from the pot to a filter and drain.

• victimization identical pot and water used for Chinese cabbage, blanch spinach for a second till color|the color} of the leaves become bright inexperienced colour. Drain during a filter and run cold water over the spinach to quickly chill out down in order that it's now not heat.

• Hold the bunch of Chinese cabbage vertically and squeeze out excess water. Do identical for the spinach.

• (Please see the picture steps below the direction for the remaining steps below) Place a bamboo dish mat (if you have got one) or 2 layers of baking sheets created into a sq. with the dimension of the baking sheet on the chopping board.

• One leaf at a time, Chinese cabbage leaves have to be compelled to be placed horizontally with the within of the leaves facing up, slightly overlapping one another.

• ranging from the top nearest to you, place a Chinese cabbage leaf on the mat/paper.

• Place a second leaf wrong manner around in order that the foundation finish of the leaf is placed next to the tip of the leaf of the primary cabbage leaf. confirm that 2 leaves overlap slightly for continuity.

• The third leaf can currently be placed within the same direction because the 1st leaf. Repeat with 2 a lot of leaves.

• Take 1/2 the poached spinach leaves and place them horizontally on your finish of the Chinese cabbage, effort a 1cm (3/8”) gap.

• ranging from your finish of the mat or baking paper, acquire the top of the mat/paper victimization each hands and begin rolling the cabbage slowly victimization the mat/paper to support. Place the center fingers and also the index fingers onto the vegetables to secure them once rolling.

• Once the mat/paper goes over the rolled a part of Chinese cabbage (be this point, Chinese cabbage coated the spinach (see the third picture within the picture steps), move one hand to the surface of mat/paper to support the roll whereas propulsion the mat/paper forward victimization the opposite hand.

• once utterly rolled, squeeze the roll whereas the mat/paper continues to be on the roll in order that excess water are removed whereas keeping the log form (excess water can build the soup stock thinner). If you tilt the roll vertically, water drains higher.

• Repeat and build a new log. Cut the log into roughly 4cm (1 1/2") disks.

Soup Stock

• combine the Stock Ingredients along during a bowl or a jar.

To Cook directly on Stove

• cluster every ingredient along and place them during a wide shallow pot. I forever place prawns and shells within the centre for dramatic result once hard-boiled.

• Pour the soup stock into the pot and warmth over high heat with a lid on. Once it's started boiling, flip it right down to medium low heat to simmer for regarding 5-8 minutes till all ingredients ar hard-boiled through.

• Serve straight off.

To Cook on dining table

• Place ingredients on an oversized plate, grouping every ingredient along, in the course of a try of long chopsticks or pair of tongs to choose up the ingredients (particularly food and met) and drop them into the pot.

• Add the soup stock into a pot and place it on a conveyable cook high. Bring it to a boil.

• Let every individual choose the ingredients of their alternative and cook within the pot or let somebody choose some ingredients and cook them within the pot for the others. you'll have to be compelled to alter the warmth betting on however full/empty the pot is.

How to Eat Yosenabe

• you'll would like a ladle or an oversized spoon to choose up delicate ingredients and soup from the pot moreover as little bowls for people.

• victimization individual’s chopsticks or a ladle/spoon, take food from the pot into a private bowl. Add some soup stock with a ladle/spoon to the bowl.

• Add a splash of shichimi togarashi to the bowl, if you're victimization it.