Kinoko Nabe ‡ Recipe

Make dashi (if using homemade)

If making dashi from scratch: wipe a 6" piece of kombu with a damp cloth (do not remove the white powder), place in a medium pot with 4 cups cold water and slowly bring to just below a simmer over medium heat. Remove kombu just before the liquid simmers. Add 1½ cups loosely packed bonito flakes, bring to a gentle simmer for 30 seconds, then remove from heat and let sit 1 minute. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pot and discard solids.

To the prepared 4 cups of warm dashi in a pot, add mirin, sake, soy sauce and salt. Gently bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat and taste; adjust salt or soy sauce lightly if needed. Keep the tentsuyu at a gentle simmer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Prepare mushrooms: trim shiitake stems and slice large caps in half; trim shimeji base and separate clusters; trim enoki root and separate strands; slice king oyster into 1/4" rounds. Arrange mushrooms on a board so they will go into the pot in batches.

Prep vegetables: separate napa cabbage leaves into 2" strips, wash and drain. Slice scallions diagonally into thin rounds. Cut tofu into 1" cubes and set aside carefully so it holds shape.

Bring the tentsuyu back to a gentle simmer. Add the firmer vegetables first: napa cabbage and king oyster slices. Simmer 2–3 minutes to soften slightly.

Add shiitake and shimeji mushrooms and tofu. Simmer 2 minutes more, then add enoki and baby bok choy/hakusai and scallions. Cook just until enoki are tender and all ingredients are heated through, about 1–2 minutes. Avoid overcooking mushrooms; they should be tender but still have texture.

Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with a little extra soy sauce, salt, or mirin if desired. If using sesame oil, stir in 1 teaspoon now for fragrance.

While assembling the nabe, cook the koshihikari rice. Rinse 1 cup rice under cold water until the rinse runs mostly clear. Drain, then combine with 1.1 cups water in a small pot or rice cooker. For stovetop: cover, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to the lowest heat and simmer 12–13 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff before serving.

Separate 4 egg yolks into a small bowl (one yolk per serving if serving 4). Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. For a safer option, you may briefly warm the yolks by placing the bowl in warm (not hot) water for 30–60 seconds just before serving to take the chill off.

To serve the kinoko nabe: bring the pot of tentsuyu and mushrooms to the table still simmering gently. Place a scoop of freshly cooked koshihikari rice into individual bowls.

Ladle a generous portion of mushrooms, vegetables and hot broth over the rice in each bowl.

Top each bowl with a raw egg yolk placed in the center of the rice and broth. The yolk will enrich the broth and rice when broken. Sprinkle a pinch of shichimi togarashi and a little yuzu zest (if using) over each bowl.

Serve immediately while hot. Encourage diners to break the yolk and stir it into the rice & broth to create a silky finish. Leftover broth can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat until simmering before serving.