Yukimi-nabe / hot pot with tofu and grated daikon radish

Grated daikon radish turns to falling snow... that's the idea behind the name. A great nabe hot pot dish when your stomach feels a bit tired of heavy, rich food.

<Ingredients>

1 soft tofu
10 cm daikon radish
1/2 bunch kinsai Chinese celery, shungiku chrysanthemum leaves, arugula, daikon or kabu turnip leaves, mizuna, mibuna, seri water dropwort, or any other leafy vegetable (kinsai in photo)
200 cc kobu-dashi (water + kombu kelp)
400 cc katsuo-dashi
2 tbsp usukuchi soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
Pinch salt (not in photo)
Potato starch + water mixture
1 lemon or lime
Shichimi pepper (optional, not in photo)


<Directions>
1.

In a pot, put kobu-dashi (or water and kombu kelp), katsuo-dashi and sake, and bring to boil.

When almost boiling, remove kombu.

2.

In the meantime, cut Chinese celery into 4-5cm, grate daikon, and cut lemon into two or four.

3.

When dashi is hot and ready, add soy sauce and tofu (cut on palm and slide in), and cook for a few minutes up to 10-15 minutes, depending on how much flavor you want tofu to absorb.

4.

When tofu is ready, add salt.

Swirl in potato starch + water mixture, a small amount at a time, stir, and add more if necessary to achieve desired texture (not gooey thick; texture should be very loose, like crepe batter).

Squeeze out extra water from grated daikon, and add to the tofu pot.

Add Chinese celery.

Squeeze lemon, sprinkle shichimi pepper (optional), and enjoy.

<Notes>

• If you have a portable cook stove, this can be cooked entirely at your table or the pot can be taken to the table from the stove after cooking halfway; a portable cook stove is especially fun if eating with a group of friends.
• Daikon above was grated with onioroshi for more texture. A regular grater results in a finer texture and more liquid.