Chef notes
My go-to hot pot recipe over the years contains many of the pantry staples I typically have around, especially during the winter. If I'm unable to make fresh dashi (kombu and bonito stock), I turn to Hondashi, which supplies solid flavor and brininess. I later found out from a friend that my go-to hot pot was very similar to Ishikari nabe, a salmon hot pot recipe from the Hokkaido region of Japan.
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Hondashi
- 4 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 3 scallions, white and green parts finely chopped
- 5 leaves napa cabbage, cut into 1-inch slices
- 3 ounces enoki mushrooms
- 5 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
- 1/2 pound thin-sliced pork belly, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound fresh salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 ounces silken tofu
- 1 cup cut sweet frozen corn
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Preparation
For the broth:
1.In a shallow, large pot (one that can hold about 5 quarts), pour in your water and add in the Hondashi, stirring together over medium-high heat.
2.Then, in a small bowl, whisk together the white miso paste and a small amount of the water from the pot until the miso fully dissolves in the liquid. Add the miso liquid to the pot, as well as the toasted sesame oil and soy sauce. Stir well to combine.
3.Bring the broth to a boil and lower the heat to medium-low to simmer.
For the vegetables:
1.Carefully add the chopped potatoes and chopped scallions to the broth. Cover the pot with its lid and cook for about 15 minutes.
2.When the 15 minutes are up, carefully add the napa cabbage, enoki and shiitake mushrooms to the broth. Cover the pot again and allow the broth to cook for another 10 minutes.
For the proteins and corn:
1.Uncover the pot and carefully add the pork belly and salmon pieces to the broth.
2.With a spoon, add the silken tofu to the broth by the spoonful, however big or small you want the pieces to be.
3.Allow the proteins to cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until the salmon and pork belly are just cooked through (try not to overcook the meats, or they will be tough; feel free to skim off any scum that might rise to the top of the broth).
4.Once the pork and salmon are cooked, add in the frozen corn and butter.
5.Gently give the broth a stir to distribute the corn and allow the butter to melt (feel free to add another tablespoon if you'd like more). Turn off the heat.
To serve:
Ladle hot pot contents into individual bowls. Serve and enjoy with your choice of dipping sauce!
