The name of this hearty nabe recipe from my friend Kiko translates to “parent and child”, referring to the close bond between sumo wrestlers and their communal eating habits. Traditionally, this was a dish that teammates would make for each other to help gain weight - it’s packed with lean proteins and vegetables that give sumo wrestlers the strength and energy they needed to compete. These days, this is a popular family meal in Japan and one that my friend Kiko grew up eating. The ground chicken meatballs are the best part of this nabe; they are flavored with dried shiitakes instead of fresh for added umami and a deeper mushroom flavor. The tender meatballs float in the dashi-based broth like plump dumplings. While you might not be feeding a team of sumo wrestlers, I promise this nabe will be equally successful at satisfying your family and friends.
To Make in Advance: Basic Dashi
Preparation: Stovetop
Chanko Nabe Sumo Hot Pot
Ingredients
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 pound ground dark meat chicken
- ½ medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
- 2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 2 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 1 hour and finely chopped
- 1 - 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sake (rice wine)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 8 cups Basic Dashi Stock
- ½ cup shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)
- ½ cup sake (rice wine)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ pound pork loin, very thinly sliced (see Note)
- ½ pound large shrimp (about 6 to 8 shrimp), shelled with tail on and deveined
- 1 - 14-ounce block silken firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 16 ounces prepared white shirataki noodles, drained and divided into 3 ounce portions
- ¼ head Napa cabbage, cored and thick white parts cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 medium sweet onion, cut into ¼-inch thick rings
- 4 spring onions or large scallions, white and light green parts only, cut into 3-inch lengths on the diagonal
- 6 shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
- 5 ounces forest nameko mushrooms (you can substitute bunashimeji or enoki) - cleaned, trimmed and torn into large pieces
- S teamed rice, for serving
Instructions
- Make the meatballs Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, spread the cornstarch in a shallow bowl. In a large bowl, combine all of the remaining ingredients. Be careful not to over mix or the meatballs will be dense. Wet your hands with a little water and form the mixture into ping pong-sized balls. You should have about 12 meatballs. Dredge the meatballs in the cornstarch and transfer to a plate.
- Gently drop the meatballs into the boiling water and cook until they rise to the surface and are partially cooked through, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the par-cooked meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Make the nabe or stew. Heat a 4-quart hot pot or large saucepan over medium-high (about 425 degrees for an electric pot). Add the dashi, shoyu, sake, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Add the sliced pork, shrimp, tofu, noodles, vegetables and the par-cooked meatballs. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer the pork, shrimp and meatballs are just cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Ladle into shallow bowls and serve. After the meat, tofu, noodles and vegetables have been eaten, add steamed rice to the remaining broth and let it soak up the liquid like a risotto, stirring occasionally, until most of the broth has been absorbed. Serve the porridge as a shime, or end of meal.