Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Chicken Miso Hot Pot

鶏みそ煮込み

DSC_6468Here we are in the middle of May, having iffy weather…particularly  last Saturday, Trying to decide whether I should grab the jacket or not when we head out the door…a bit nostalgic, almost melancholy for the perfect 82 degree Ishigaki weather.

This simple hot pot (basically miso soup with chicken) dish seems like it has comfort agent and is soulful…how blessed we are to have made the trip to my home country though…phew…to do list is getting lengthy and wish to linger in residue of the memories rather than to tackle it.

Our weekend is packed with errands and yard maintenance…dang! Those noxious weeds are overtaking our yard!…once again!

Ingredients and Instructions for enough for two people (Print Recipe Here)

  • 3 cups water
  • 2x3 sheet of dried kelp, wipe the surface with damp paper towel
  • 1-1/2 cups bonito flakes
  • 2 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on, roughly cut
  • 3-4 Tablespoons white miso paste   Note: I used Koji Miso in the bottle – handy, has rich yet mild flavor.
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  • 3 cups Chinese cabbage roughly chopped
  • Seven spice red pepper (optional)DSC_6456
  1. Pour water in a stone pot or thick bottom pan. Soak kelp in the water for say…30 minutes? Put the pan on the burner and start to boil at medium heat. Remove the kelp and discard just before full boil.DSC_6439
  2. Put bonito flakes in mesh sieve which fits in the pan you’re using. Cook to extract flavor about 3-4 minutes. Lift mesh and press with wooden spatula to get the juice into the pan. Discard bonito flakes.DSC_6442DSC_6443
  3. Place cut chicken in the pot and cook for 30 minutes (or so) at lowest heat setting.
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  4. Dissolve miso paste into the pot, check the flavor, add more miso to suit your liking. Add water if it’s too salty but remember that the cabbage will dilute the saltiness later.
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  5. Mound the Chinese cabbage on but not disturb the chicken with stirring and cook at lowest heat until the cabbage eventually cooks down. Have as is or add a few drops of ponzu soy sauce, seven spice red pepper (optional).
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I bought the award winning  Nitamai(仁多米) rice at Shimane Fair (products on sale that were made in Shimane prefecture 島根県) at Japanese Supermarket. 2kg(4.41lb) for $15.99. Holy macaroni! Gleaming white rice I think has great flavor!DSC_6454

Here is the Shimane’s yurukyara (mascot), Shimanekko…right.

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More pictures from our trip – We took a walk near the Japanese style Inn we stayed at on the outskirts of Fukuoka.. We saw this orange tree in someone ‘s back yard…naturally we click, click over the fence…what kind of orange is that? asked my husband ‘I dunno…’ I crooked my head slightly to the left and appealed with my cuteness…just kidding, of course.IMG_3721

‘ May I help you?’ an older gentleman opened the back sliding door hearing our commotion. We’re just admiring your orange! said my husband  apologetic. ‘Would you like to have some? IMG_3722Why don’t you come in?  My husband and I looked at each other Really?..’Should we?’ my husband said telepathically. ‘He seems harmless’ I beamed back.  And he was. Musician/composer nearing his retirement, offered us coffee which we declined…his wife was in a care home, he was perhaps a bit lonely.  IMG_3723

We found out that this is called Amanatsu orange(甘夏みかん). He cut open the hard skin and put it in a bowl for us to have…interesting, cross between grapefruit and pomelo? He put four more in the plastic bag as a parting gift which we lugged all the way to Tokyo.

From Today’s TAPAS (#todaystapas)– As a Mother's Day gift, my daughter sent us a box full of beautiful apricots from Frog Hollow Farm. Apricots? Not really my usual go-to fruits… I made an apricot and sesame seed mini pie. It was very successful pie, this could be a future blog post…I was thinking…IMG_3937IMG_3939Thank you for your visit to my blog. Have a wonderful week!

30 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos! The food looks great as well. :)

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    1. Thank you Linda! I copied up-lifting messages found on your blog. So helpful to have right attitude!

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  2. I love how the gentleman invited you into his home. How trusting.

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    1. Thank you Jalna. I know right...it was a bit awkward at first though. he was nice.

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  3. Your chicken miso soup looks and sounds delicious, I love miso, but do not use often enough...
    So interesting that the gentleman asked you into his home...as it would not be advisable here...
    I look forward to the apricot pie recipe...hope you are having a wonderful week Nippon Nin :)

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    1. Thank you Juliana. Wow! Your spinach pasta sounds great!

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  5. Hi Nippon nin,

    Welcome back to blogging! Saw that you had a fun and interesting trip! Cute that you actually be-friend a friend via an orange tree :D

    Despite the changing and unpredictable weather, you must be enjoying the Spring colours and gardening now. In regardless of seasons, a warm and comforting chicken hot pot is always delicious to eat :D

    Enjoy!

    Zoe

    PS I had to delete my previous comment because of a spelling error... Sorry!

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    1. Thank you so much Zoe. I'm going to try the yogurt bread this afternoon...I'm excited!

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  6. Yum! That miso hot pot looks looks so yummy! And it's not too hard to make. Hmmm... Thank you so much for showing us so clearly how to make it. I'm a horrible cook and need precise directions.

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    1. Thank you Kay. This dish last for at least two days and I put udon noodle at the last day for 'shime( finish)'. It's a very economical dish.

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  7. こんにちは。 甘夏みかんを通しての、地元の人と偶然のお付き合い、旅には色々なドラマがありますね。 彼は、翌日、何か作曲したかも。
     鶏のみそ煮込み、とても美味しそうです。

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    1. ありがとうございます。 いろんなめぐりあいがあって、旅っておもしろいですよね。北海道行きたーい! 次回も温泉リゾートに行きたいと考えてます。

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  8. The miso hot pot looks so very appetizing! Those apricots look very juicy.

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    1. Thank you so much Angie! Your apricot dessert looks gorgeous!

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  9. What joy you must have brought to the old man's home that day:)
    Looking forward to read how you made that mini apricot sesame seed pie...as it looks so nice covered with sesame seeds topping!

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    1. Thank you Annie! Your garden is getting prettier! I hope I have time to tend the garden this weekend.

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  10. That hot pot looks amazing. I love miso paste...

    Beautiful apricots.

    I hope that you are doing well, dear.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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    1. Thank you Rosa. So nice of you to drop by. Just in case I forgot to tell you...that I adore your photographs. They're so incredible!

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  11. And how many times people will say the Japanese are distant and difficult to approach!!! It's so kind to give you these mysterious fruits. Japanese citrus varieties are so different from what we have in Europe... I wish I could taste this one too one day!
    The soup looks comforting and delicious... It would be perfect for today's cold weather which is far from typical May days.

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    1. Thank you Sissi. He was very nice man. We enjoyed the meeting. I'm going to buy kohlrabi tomorrow to make the salad. I will let you know the result.

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  12. This is trully definition of comforting and damn delicious food my friend!!!
    Dedy@Dentist Chef

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    1. Thank you Chef! Oh wow! I'm so curious about milk and yogurt flavor chicken like...sounds so great!

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  13. this looks so nourishing and so sweet of that old gentlemen to invite you in

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  14. lovely! I totally love this hot pot!

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    1. Thank you Marcela. Your fig dish looks awesome!
      Wishing you a safe trip! Exciting!

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  15. 鶏味噌煮込み、心も体も温まりそう。でも、この一週間は30度以上の夏日、暑くて半袖を着ています。甘夏の持ち主とのエピソード、いいお話です。無農薬の甘夏はマーマレードにいいです。あのアプリコットも苺と同じく、お庭からの収穫と思っていましたが、御嬢さんからのプレゼントだったんですね。

    コメントありがとうございます。京都、奈良へお越しの時は声をかけてくださいね。ただし、夏以外に。夏は超低血圧で体力、気力抜けてますから。

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    1. コメントありがとうございます。 もうそんなに暖かくなっているんですね。 ポートランドも今日 27日から暖まってきています。 アメリカの一部では洪水、竜巻などの被害で大変な模様です、心が痛いです。
      今は庭のイチゴが美味しくて、それだけで気分がいいです。

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  16. 今週末出かけるのですが、白菜がどかーんと大きいの残ってます。キッチンも今かなりめちゃくちゃ状態なので、この料理をプレッシャークッカーで作ってみます!美味しそう。だしがきいてて、シンプルでいいですね。白菜の使い道が決まり嬉しいです。しかも美味しそうだしー!日本旅行の 話、いつも楽しませてもらってます。ビームで語り合うご夫婦、可愛いです⭐︎

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