Hakusai to age no nibitashi / napa cabbage and thin deep-fried tofu in light broth

Hakusai's tender sweetness is slightly intensified by the oil from usuage. A soothing dish.

<Ingredients>

5-6 hakusai napa cabbage leaves
1 large (2 small) usuage thin deep-fried tofu
200 cc dashi
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp soy sauce
Pinch salt (not in photo)


<Directions>
1.

Cut hakusai into 3-4 cm pieces. Prep boil and cut usuage into 1cm-wide strips.

2.

In a pot, put dashi, sake and soy sauce, and bring to boil.
Add usuage, and cook on medium to medium low heat for a few minutes until usuage's color slightly darkens.

3.

Add hakusai, white sections first, cover, and cook for a few minutes on slightly lower heat until hakusai becomes somewhat translucent.

Add rest of hakusai, cover, and cook for another few minutes.

Taste, and add salt if necessary.

<Notes>

• If broth boils down too fast or becomes too salty, add more dashi or water.
• While I usually add a small amount of mirin (1 tsp or less) to nibitashi dishes, it is not added to this dish, in order to taste the sweet flavor of hakusai.
• Because hakusai's sweetness is maximized when steamed, this is cooked covered for semi-steaming effect.