Chikuzenni(Chiken and Vegetable Stew) 筑前煮

Ingredients

• 5 dried shiitake mushrooms (*1)
• 200 ml soaking water for dried shiitake mushrooms (*2 )
• 2 chicken thigh fillets
• 1 carrot
• 8 snow peas
• 150 g konnyaku (konjac)
• 200 g renkon (lotus roots)
• 200 g satoimo (taro)
• ½ tbsp sesame oil
• 150 ml water
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp cooking sake
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (*3 )
• 1 tbsp mirin

Steps

1. 1

   Start soaking the dried shiitake mushrooms a day before.

2. 2

   Prepare all the vegetables as explained above.

3. 3

   Heat sesame oil in a frying pan and the chicken thigh to cook until browned.

4. 4

   Remove the chicken thigh pieces out of the frying pan and add the konnyaku, carrot, renkon, satoimo and shiitake mushrooms to the frying pan and cook over medium hear (don't add the snow peas yet).

5. 5

   Pour the mixture of shiitake dashi, water, 3 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp sake and 2 tbsp soy sauce to the frying pan and bring to boil. *4

6. 6

   When it has boiled, turn the heat down and simmer with an "otoshibuta" (drop lid) for about 20 minutes or till all the ingredients have cooked through.

7. 7

   Turn the heat off and cool it down. The flavours will penetrate through into the ingredients well and become more flavourful and delicious if you let it cool down.

8. 8

   Return the Chikuzenni back over medium-high heat.

9. 9

   When it has boiled, add soy sauce and mirin and let the liquid evaporate.

10. 10

    Turn the heat off and serve with par boiled snow peas.