Chicken and Vegetable Donabe

We made this Donabe with out using our Donabe cooker. Can it still be called a Donabe? Actually is Donabe the pot or the method of cooking? I don't remember why we didn't use our ceramic Donabe when we made this. At any rate it was a good winter dish!

Chicken and Vegetable Donabe

New York Times

 

Donabe refers to the Japanese clay pot traditionally used to make this warming dish. Clay holds heat for a longer period of time than other materials. This one-pot comforting donabe is made in a Dutch oven, which still keeps heat well and can accommodate a party of four. Chicken, vegetables and broth are combined in the pot and simmered together; as it cooks, the soothing broth is reinforced with fragrant aromatics and the flavorful juices from the chicken and vegetables. A citrusy ponzu sauce adds a bright, fresh finish to the otherwise mellow dish. Yuzu kosho, a Japanese fermented condiment made with fresh chiles, yuzu peel and salt, adds a pop of heat to the donabe, but it can be left out for a milder dish.

 

Ingredients

 

4       cups low-sodium chicken broth

3       garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1       (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and halved

1-½  pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6), sliced into 1/8-inch-thick strips

Kosher salt and black pepper

8     ounces tender mushrooms, such as maitake, beech or enoki, or a combination, stemmed and broken into large clusters

6     ounces napa cabbage, chopped into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

6     ounces daikon, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick 

3       scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths

1       large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

¼      cup ponzu

½      teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1       teaspoon yuzu kosho (optional)

 

Preparation

 

1.    In a large Dutch oven, combine broth, garlic and ginger. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and add to pot. Bring to a boil over high, skimming the foam and fat that rises to the top and discarding it. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, occasionally stirring and skimming, until foam no longer appears in the broth, about 5 minutes. 

2.    Add mushrooms, cabbage, daikon, scallions and carrot to the pot, arranging them in sections, and season with salt. Cover and simmer over medium to medium-low heat (maintain a good simmer, but do not boil) until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Discard ginger. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3.    Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine ponzu, sesame oil and yuzu kosho (if using), and mix well.

4.    Divide donabe among four bowls. Drizzle with some of the ponzu sauce and serve warm.