Chikuzenni

Method

1. 1 Soak the shiitake mushrooms for 20 minutes until they expand, reserving the soaking water. Slice the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
2. 2 Cut burdock root, lotus root, carrots, and taro into slanted slices, then soak them in water to remove the sap.
3. 3 Tear the konnyaku into small pieces and blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes to remove the strong smell.
4. 4 Sauté the chicken with sesame oil for 3 minutes, then add all the vegetables and stir-fry for another 5 minutes.
5. 5 Add dashi, mushroom infusion, sake, and sugar to a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
6. 6 Add soy sauce and mirin, and simmer for another 10 minutes until the sauce coats the vegetables.

With an appliance

• Pressure cooker 50 min

  Replace step 5: cook the chicken and vegetables under high pressure for 5 minutes, then quickly release the pressure; in step 6, still add soy sauce and mirin, and simmer with the lid open for 10 minutes to prevent the vegetables from falling apart.