nimono

Cooked in savory dashi broth seasoned with soy sauce and sake, this&nbsp;classic Japanese Simmered Kabocha Squash makes a great healthy side dish that is chock-full of nutrients.

Simmered Kabocha Squash (Japanese Pumpkin)

ginger ((optional))

water ((400 ml))

packs katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) ((0.2 oz / 6 g))

Tbsp sugar

Tbsp sake

soy sauce

salt

Gather all the ingredients.

In a small pot, boil 1 ¾ cups water.  Once boiling, add katsuobushi.

Mix together and turn off the heat.  Set aside for 15 minutes.  Then strain the katsuobushi with a fine mesh sieve.  Set the katsuo dashi aside for now. You can discard the katsuobushi or make furikake (rice seasonings) with the leftover katsuobushi.

Remove the seeds and pith from the kabocha. Microwave for 2 minutes so soften the outer kabocha skin (you can skip microwaving if you have a sharp knife and strength to cut through the skin).

Cut the kabocha into wedges, then equal 2” (5 cm) pieces.&nbsp; Remember, kabocha skin is edible and nutritious.

Place the kabocha pieces, skin side down, in a pot that fit in a single layer.  Change the pot if kabocha doesn’t fit.

Add dashi, sake and sugar.&nbsp;Tip:&nbsp;Swirl the pot to mix the seasonings so you won't break the kabocha.

Cook on medium high heat and bring it to a boil.

Add soy sauce and salt, and swirl the pot again to mix the seasonings. If the liquid does not cover 3/4 of kabocha, you can add a little bit of water. Bring to a boil again.

Once boiling turn down to medium low heat to maintain simmering.  Cover with an otoshibuta (drop lid - here's how to make it with aluminum) and cook for 20-30 minutes (depends on size, and skin takes time to cook), or until the kabocha has a tiny thin crack near the skin (it’s a sign for doneness!).  If you feel that liquid is evaporating too fast, you can cover the regular lid (and you still need to use otoshibuta).

Remove from the heat and let kabocha sit covered until cool, about 30 minutes.  This helps kabocha absorbs more flavor as it cools.  You can serve at room temperature or reheat before serving.

[Optional garnish] Cut the ginger into rectangular piece (so each strips will be the same length).  Cut into thin slabs and then thin julienne strips.

Soak in cold water for 1 minute and drain well.  Set aside. Serve with simmered kabocha.

Delicious simmered kabocha squash flavored with the popular Japanese seasoning shio koji (rice koji and salt), resulting in unique umami flavor.

Simmered Kabocha With Shio Koji

oz kabocha (squash/pumpkin) ((12 oz = 340 g))

Tbsp Hikari Miso Shio Koji

Water

Simmered Kabocha with Shio Koji

Cut the kabocha into 1-inch cubes and put into a medium saucepan.

Add just enough water to completely cover kabocha, and add Hikari Miso Shio Koji.

Bring to a boil then lower the heat to simmer. Cook the kabocha until a skewer goes through smoothly, about 4-5 minutes.

Cover with a lid and set aside to allow the flavor to slowly be absorbed. &nbsp;Let the kabocha squash cook slowly with the residual heat while it absorbs flavor from the shio koji. If you overcook the kabocha squash, it will get mushy and lose its shape and appeal. &nbsp;You can serve this dish cold, at room temperature, or warm.

Looking for a well-balanced pressure cooker recipe? Try Nikujaga, a comforting Japanese home cooked dish, featuring sliced meat, vegetables &amp; potatoes simmered in dashi broth.

Pressure Cooker Nikujaga

green beans

onion

carrot

potatoes ((I use Yukon gold potatoes

shirataki noodles ((7 oz, 198 g))

½ lb thinly sliced beef (chuck or rib eye)

Tbsp neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, rice bran, canola, etc.)

⅛ tsp kosher salt

dashi (Japanese soup stock; click to learn more)

mirin

Cut the green beans in half or thirds, and bring water to a boil in a small saucepan.

Blanch the green beans for a few minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.

Cut the onion into wedges then cut them in half.

Peel and cut the carrot into rolling wedges (We call this cutting technique “Rangiri”).

Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters and soak them in water for 10 minutes to remove starch.

Open the shirataki noodle package and drain the liquid. Cut the shirataki noodles into thirds (or shorter length).

Cut the thinly sliced meat into smaller pieces.

Press the “Sauté” button on your Instant Pot (I use 6 QT Instant Pot) and heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil.

When the pot is hot, saute the onion. When the onion is coated with oil, add the meat and stir all together.

Add the potatoes and carrots. And add the shirataki noodles.

Add 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 cup (240 ml) dashi, 3 Tbsp mirin, 2 Tbsp sake, and 3 Tbsp soy sauce.

Cover and lock the lid. Make sure the steam release handle points at “sealing” and not “venting”. Press the “Keep Warm/Cancel” button on the Instant Pot to stop sauté. Press the “meat/Stew” button to switch to the pressure cooking mode. Press “minus” button to change the cooking time to 15 minutes.

If you’re using a stove-top pressure cooker, you won’t have the buttons to press. Just cook on high heat until high pressure is reached. Then reduce the heat to low but maintain high pressure for about 15 minutes.

When it is finished cooking, the Instant Pot will switch automatically to a “Keep Warm” mode. Slide the steam release handle to the "Venting" position to let out steam until the float valve drops down, OR let the pressure release naturally (takes about 15 mins).

Unlock the lid and taste the Nikujaga. If necessary, season with kosher salt. Toss in blanched green beans to heat up a little, and transfer to a serving dish.

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month. Potatoes will change their texture, so I recommend removing them first before freezing.

To Store

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXnAmWxtgGk

Nikujaga (肉じゃが) is the classic Japanese mom's home cooked dish deliciously prepared using a pressure cooker (Instant Pot) in 15 minutes!

Stove-top Nikujaga recipe: http://www.justonecookbook.com/nikujaga/

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Ingredients:

10 green beans
1 large onion
1 large carrot
2 medium potatoes
1 package (7 oz/198 g) shirataki noodles
½ lb. (230 g) thinly sliced beef (chuck or rib eye steak)
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) vegetable oil
Pinch kosher salt

Seasonings

1 Tbsp. (13 g) sugar
1 cup (240 ml) dashi (recipe: https://youtu.be/5qBAcsM31Rg)
3 Tbsp. (45 ml) mirin
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) sake
3 Tbsp. (45 ml) soy sauce

Equipment you will need:

Pressure cooker (I use Instant Pot- link below)

Instructions with step-by-step pics▼

http://bit.ly/PressureCookerNikujaga


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How To Make Pressure Cooker Nikujaga (Recipe) 圧力鍋で作る肉じゃがの作り方（レシピ）

Simmered Vegetables (Nishime) is often served in New Year’s feasts. Various vegetables are cooked in slightly sweet soy-based broth. A good dashi stock and meticulous preparation of each ingredient are the keys to a good-looking dish.If you use konbu dashi for dashi stock, you can make it a vegan dish.Don&#039;t forget to see the section &#039;MEAL IDEAS&#039; below the recipe card! It gives you a list of dishes that I have already posted and this recipe that can make up a complete meal. I hope it is of help to you.

Simmered Vegetables (Nishime)

dried shiitake mushrooms (medium size) (rehydrated

konnyaku

snow peas ((small, note 4))

dashi stock

tsp sugar

sugar

tbsp cooking sake

tbsp light soy sauce

Lotus roots: peel the skin thinly and slice into 8mm / 5⁄16” thick pieces. Optional:Take each slice and make shallow V-shape incisions between the holes around the circle to make the lotus slice look like a flower (see the photo in the post).

Shiitake mushrooms: Squeeze water out and remove the stems. Preserve the water (shiitake dashi).

Taro: Cut the top and bottom ends off. Peel skin vertically.

Konnyaku: Slice into 8mm / 5⁄16” thick pieces. Make 2.5cm / 1&quot; incision in the centre of each slice lengthwise. Make a twisted konnyaku by putting one end through the incision.

Carrot: Slice the carrot into 1cm / ⅜” thick discs. Optional: Using a flower-shaped vegetable cutter, cut each slice into flowers (note 5). Curve each flower-shaped slice and make nejiri-ume (note 6).

Snow peas: Remove ends and the side strings by pulling the end along the side of the pod.

Preparing vegetables

Bring water in a small pot to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and blanch for a minute. Drain and cool them down quickly in cold running water. Pat dry. If your snow peas are large, cut them in half diagonally.

Blanching Snow peas:

Add carrot pieces and all Cooking Carrot ingredients to a pot. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.

Cook for about 10 minutes until the carrots are cooked through. Turn the heat off and let it cool (leave carrots in the broth).

Cooking Carrots

Add all the Simmering Broth for Nishime ingredients to a large pot. Add lotus roots, shiitake mushrooms, taro and konnyaku pieces to the pot.

Bring it to a boil with a lid on. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or so until the liquid almost evaporates. Turn the heat off.

Cooking Other Vegetables

Place lotus roots, taro, shiitake mushrooms and konnyaku on a serving plate, clustering the same vegetables together.

Place the snow peas on the front part of the plate.

Drain carrots and scatter them over the vegetables.

Serving

This brings back memories. My mom always made nishime for New Year, even though only she and I would eat it. (My siblings ate more like my Dad's side, American foods. 
We grew satoimo in the back yard. Every year, mom would pull up the mother plants, collect the babies  and put the plants back in the ground.
She also made mochi from mochiko, both for kagame mochi and for us to eat. Some were filled with anko, and she'd also make zenzai. 
Thank you for the trip back in time.

Thank you for your recipe, I added Burdock and it was delicious.

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