Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Japanese Mizutaki Chicken Hot Pot
日式水炊雞肉鍋
Recipe overview
Chicken, tofu, cabbage and mushrooms cook in a clean kombu broth for a light family hot pot.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 600 g, cut into 4 cm pieces boneless chicken thigh
- 300 g firm tofu
- 400 g cabbage
- 150 g fresh shiitake mushrooms
- 150 g enoki mushrooms
- 150 g carrot
- 10 g kombu
- 1.8 litres water
- 2 spring onions
Soup seasoning
- 2 tbsp sake
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
02
Tools
- wide soup pot
- cutting board
- kitchen knife
- colander
- ladle
- tabletop hot-pot burner
03
Steps
Step 1
Soak the kombu
Wipe kombu with a damp cloth and soak in 1.8 litres water for 20 minutes.
Step 2
Cut the chicken
Cut chicken thigh into 4 cm pieces and keep chilled.
Step 3
Cut the vegetables
Cut tofu into 8 pieces, cabbage into large chunks and carrot into thin slices.
Step 4
Prepare mushrooms
Remove shiitake stems, trim enoki roots and separate into small bundles.
Step 5
Heat kombu broth
Heat the soaking water over medium and remove kombu just before boiling.
Step 6
Season the broth
Add sake, salt and soy sauce and bring to a gentle boil.
Step 7
Cook the chicken first
Add chicken, simmer gently for 8 minutes and skim off foam.
Step 8
Check the chicken
Cut the largest piece; the centre must have no pink, clear juices and reach 75°C.
Step 9
Add firm vegetables
Add cabbage, carrot and shiitake, cover and cook 6 minutes.
Step 10
Add tofu and enoki
Add tofu and enoki and cook 4 minutes until heated through.
Step 11
Taste the broth
Stir gently and taste the broth without breaking the tofu.
Step 12
Finish and serve
Scatter spring onions, keep gently bubbling and serve with shared utensils.
Common mistakes
- Boiling kombu hard until the broth turns slimy and bitter.
- Cutting chicken too large to cook through.
- Adding everything together and overcooking vegetables.
- Cross-contaminating cooked food with raw-chicken tools.
Tips
Cook chicken to 75°C before adding quick-cooking items; wash raw-chicken tools immediately and keep the broth gently bubbling while serving.
