Simmered Daikon and Konnyaku (大根とこんにゃくの煮物, Daikon to Konnyaku no Nimono)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide heavy pot
• •Wooden drop-lid (otoshibuta), or a circle of parchment with a small center hole
• •Skewer or cake tester for checking the daikon

Instructions

1. 1

   Shape the daikon

   Peel the daikon and cut it into rounds about 1 inch thick. Shave a thin bevel around the sharp edges, a cut called mentori, so the rounds don't chip and crumble as they simmer. If the daikon is thick, score a shallow cross on one face of each round. That little cut helps heat and seasoning reach the center.

   Choose daikon that feels heavy and has smooth, taut skin. A tired daikon tastes woody, and no amount of soy will make it young again.
2. 2

   Parboil the daikon

   Put the daikon in a pot and cover it with rice rinsing water, or plain water with a teaspoon of raw rice. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until a skewer slides partway in with a little resistance. This first cooking softens the radish and draws out its sharpness, so the finished broth stays clean instead of turnip-bitter. Drain and rinse the rounds carefully.

3. 3

   Prepare the konnyaku

   Rinse the konnyaku, rub it with a good pinch of salt, and leave it for 5 minutes. Score both faces in a shallow crosshatch, then cut it into bite-size pieces. Blanch the pieces in boiling water for 2 minutes and drain. The salt and blanching remove the packaged smell, while the scoring gives this stubborn fellow more surface to drink from.

   Do not skip the blanching. Konnyaku is clean food, but it carries an earthy scent from its alkaline setting water. Two minutes fixes it.
4. 4

   Build the broth

   In a wide pot, combine the dashi, soy sauce, usukuchi shoyu if using, mirin, sake, sugar, and salt. Bring it just to a simmer and taste. It should be a little stronger than you want the finished dish to taste, because daikon and konnyaku will soften the seasoning as they cook.

5. 5

   Simmer quietly

   Lay the daikon rounds in one layer if you can, then tuck the konnyaku and chikuwa around them. Set an otoshibuta, a wooden drop-lid, directly on the food, or use a circle of parchment with a small hole in the center. Simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes. A hard boil knocks the daikon apart and toughens the chikuwa; a quiet simmer lets the broth move through the pot without bullying it.

6. 6

   Rest in broth

   Turn off the heat when the daikon is fully tender and translucent at the edges. Let everything rest in the broth for at least 30 minutes, or cool completely if you have time. This is when the seasoning settles in. Rewarm gently before serving, spooning a little broth over the top so each piece shines.

7. 7

   Plate with space

   Arrange three daikon rounds with pieces of konnyaku and chikuwa tucked between them, building a little height rather than spreading everything flat. Spoon over a small amount of clear broth and finish with yuzu peel or scallion if using. Leave part of the bowl empty. Ma, that open space, keeps plain food from looking heavy.

Chef Tips

• •For meatless cooking, use dashi made from konbu and dried shiitake and omit the chikuwa. That belongs to the temple-kitchen side of the tradition, and it is honmono, not a compromise.
• •A wooden drop-lid, or otoshibuta, is useful because it keeps the broth moving over the food while holding the pieces in place. A parchment circle does the same work at home.
• •If the daikon tastes harsh after parboiling, it was probably not at its best. Keep the dish, but don't hide it with more soy. Serve it as a stronger-flavored side beside rice.
• •This dish is better after resting. Nimono often tastes thin straight from the stove and right an hour later, when the ingredients have had time to drink.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the dashi up to two days ahead and keep it refrigerated. Warm it before adding the seasonings so the sugar dissolves cleanly.
• •The finished nimono keeps for three days refrigerated in its broth. Reheat gently over low heat and do not boil hard.
• •For the best flavor, cook the dish earlier in the day, let it cool in the broth, then rewarm it for supper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 360g)