A Comforting Fried Tofu Stew: Japanese Kitsune Nabe

If you’ve ever displayed a keen interest for Japanese cuisine, you’d know how much the culture appreciates a piping hot bowl of soup or ramen. As a culture that has been one of the pioneers of the hotpot style of dining, where meat and vegetables are flash cooked in a hot, flavoursome broth, it is a normal sight to spot people lining up at their local soup spot to get their dose of the warming concoction. Most Japanese meals are communal meals, meant to be eaten with a large gathering of people and shared plates.

Nabe, the term used to describe Japanese hotpot dishes as well as the pot in which the broth is served, is a traditional, family-style meal consisting of a meat or fish stock, thinly sliced meat, vegetables and noodles. Think of it like a fondue party; only a lighter, more savoury and healthier version. This individually-portioned recipe for Kitsune Nabe, named after the popular folklore in Japanese culture about foxes being fond of fried tofu, is a simpler, vegetarian version made with a miso broth, vegetables and tiny quail eggs. It takes only a few minutes to put together and is super delicious, light on the stomach and filling at the same time.

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 500 ml water
• 2 tablespoons dashi powder
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• ½ cup dried seaweed flakes
• 2 tablespoons miso paste
• 3-4 mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ cup fried tofu puffs
• ¼ cup shredded Chinese cabbage
• ¼ cup egg/soba noodles
• 4 quail eggs

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Method

• Add the water, dashi powder, soy sauce, mirin, miso paste and seaweed flakes to a large pot and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
• Add noodles of your choice to the pot and extract using chopsticks or a slotted spoon, once cooked. Transfer the cooked noodles to a bowl and set aside.
• Add the tofu puffs and vegetables to the simmering broth and cook for 3-4 minutes. Strain and add the tofu puffs and vegetables to your noodle bowl and pour over the steaming hot broth on top.
• Boil your quail eggs. Peel and slice them into two and top off the noodle bowl with it, as garnish. Add some chopped spring onions on top if you like. Serve hot.