Japanese Chicken and Vegetable Hot Pot

Tender chicken thighs, Chinese leaf, mushrooms and tofu simmered in a light dashi broth, with a ponzu dipping sauce.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 55 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 1.2 litres water
  • 2 tsp dashi granules
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 600g skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 4cm pieces
  • 1/2 Chinese leaf, about 400g, cut into 5cm pieces
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
  • 100g shiitake mushrooms, halved
  • 1 leek, sliced into 2cm pieces
  • 300g firm tofu, cut into 3cm cubes
  • For the ponzu dipping sauce: 4 tbsp light soy sauce
  • For the ponzu dipping sauce: 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 spring onions, finely sliced
  • Cooked short-grain rice, to serve

Method

  1. Mix the ponzu ingredients in 4 small dipping bowls.

  2. Bring the water, dashi granules, soy sauce and mirin to a simmer in a wide, deep pan or flameproof casserole, stirring until the dashi dissolves.

  3. Add the chicken and carrots and simmer gently for 10 minutes, skimming off any scum.

  4. Add the Chinese leaf stalks, mushrooms, leek and tofu and simmer for 8 minutes, then add the Chinese leaf tops and simmer for 3 minutes until tender. Check that the chicken is cooked through.

  5. Scatter over the spring onions and serve at the table, spooning the chicken, vegetables and broth into bowls, with the ponzu for dipping and rice alongside.