Chikuzenni 筑前煮 (Sauted Chicken with Root Vegetables)

There is chikuzenni 筑前煮, a stew with chicken, renkon(lotus root), carrots, mushrooms, and takenoko(bamboo shoots).　Chikuzenni is especially popular in late fall or winter. The steaming root vegetables and meat and savory broth keep a body warm in the cold winter months.

Time, about 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• chicken thigh or other white cut ..................300 grams/10 oz.
• dried shittake mushrooms ................................8
• gobo(burdock root).................................................100g/half a stick
• carrot.............................................................................1
• rennkon(lotus root).................................................100g/ about 1
• mirin(cooking sake....................................................5 Tblsp.
• Soy sauce.....................................................................5 Tblsp.
• dashi stock...................................................................200ml
• cooking oil

Directions:

1. Cut chicken into small chunks, season with salt and mirin.
2. Cut vegetables into bite sized wedges. Cut burdock root at an angle. Soak burdock and lotus root in vinegared water.
3. Put 1 Tblsp. cooking oil in a pan and saute the chicken. Add the vegetables and cook everything together.
4. Add the dashi stock and mirin and soy sauce. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer until everything is tender.
5. Seve with steamed snow peas if desired.