Tori tsukune nabe

These delicious Japanese chicken dumplings are poached a dashi and soy-based broth that’s typical of the nabe (steamboat) style of cooking. Add cabbage, shiitake mushrooms and julienned carrots for a simple, yet nourishing meal.

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 2 tsp (10 g) instant dashi or dashi stock (see Note)
• 60 ml (¼ cup) cooking sake (see Note)
• 60 ml (¼ cup) mirin
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) salt-reduced soy sauce
• ½ small carrot, cut into julienne
• 8 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
• 100 g enoki mushrooms, trimmed
• 125 g Chinese cabbage (wombok), thinly sliced

Tori tsukune (chicken dumplings)

• 500 g minced chicken
• 1 egg
• 1 cm piece ginger, finely grated
• 1 tbsp finely chopped leek, white part only
• 3 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp potato flour or cornflour

Drink Coedo Ruri Pilsner, Japan ($7 per bottle).

Instructions

To make dumplings, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.

To make dashi broth, place 1.6 litres water and instant dashi in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir in sake, mirin and soy sauce, then reduce heat to medium and keep at a gentle simmer.

Using 2 tablespoons, shape dumpling mixture into 16 balls. Working in 2 batches, drop the dumplings in the dashi broth and cook for 5 minutes or until they are cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and divide among bowls with carrot, mushrooms and cabbage. Ladle over dashi broth and serve immediately.

Note

• Instant dashi is available in powder form or granules, and is available from Asian food shops, together with the cooking sake, or make your own dashi stock.

As seen in Feast magazine, Mar 2012, Issue 7. For more recipes and articles, pick up a copy of this month's Feast magazine or check out our great subscriptions offers here.

Photography by Anton Smart.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.