Entree: Japan – Tohoku – きりたんぽ鍋 ➤ Kiritanpo Nabe (Grilled rice-stick hot pot with chicken and seasonal vegetables)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 25 min

Total 45 min

Ingredients

- 3 cups (600 g) cooked Japanese short-grain rice
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 4 cedar skewers
- 6 cups (1440 ml) dashi stock (kombu + katsuobushi or prepared dashi)
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs, approx. 6 oz (170 g) each
- 6 oz (170 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps halved
- 4 oz (115 g) burdock root (gobo), peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 2 stalks negi (Japanese long green onions), cut into 2-3 inch (5-8 cm) lengths (approx. 4 oz / 115 g)
- 4 oz (115 g) enoki mushrooms, trimmed (optional)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) sake
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) mirin
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt, or to taste
- 1/2 cup (15 g) mitsuba or chopped parsley for garnish
- 1 tsp (5 g) grated yuzu peel or lemon zest (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare kiritanpo: Mash the warm cooked rice with 1/2 tsp salt until slightly sticky but still textured. Wet your hands, divide into 4 portions, and firmly press each portion around a cedar skewer into a 6–8 inch cylinder, compacting the rice.
2. Grill kiritanpo: Lightly oil a grill pan or broiler rack and grill the skewered rice, turning often, until the exterior is golden and slightly charred in spots, about 8–10 minutes. Remove rice from skewers and cut each into 2–3 bite-sized pieces; set aside.
3. Make broth and poach chicken: In a large pot, bring the dashi to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken thighs whole, reduce heat, and poach until nearly cooked through, about 12–15 minutes. Skim any scum from the surface.
4. Season broth and add vegetables: Stir in soy sauce, sake, and mirin. Add sliced burdock and shiitake mushrooms; simmer 5–7 minutes until vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or soy sauce as needed.
5. Finish with kiritanpo and negi: Add the grilled kiritanpo pieces and negi to the pot and simmer gently 3–5 minutes so the rice soaks up the broth but retains some texture. Add enoki in the last 1–2 minutes if using.
6. Serve: Transfer portions to shallow bowls, garnish with mitsuba and a little grated yuzu peel or lemon zest. Enjoy hot, scooping broth, tender chicken, vegetables, and pieces of kiritanpo together.