Fuki no to no agebitashi / deep-fried Japanese butterbur buds marinated in light broth

A rich ohitashi dish with deep-fried fuki no to.

<Ingredients>

Handful fuki no to Japanese butterbur buds
Oil (for deep-frying, not in photo)

For ohitashi marinade
200 cc dashi
1 tbsp mirin + sake
1 tbsp soy sauce
Pinch salt


<Directions>
1.

Prepare ohitashi marinade.
Microwave mirin + sake for 10 seconds.

Add mirin + sake mixture and soy sauce to dashi.

Add salt, and set aside.

2.

Deep-fry fuki no to. Heat oil. Pat dry fuki no to well, remove stems, and immediately deep-fry.

 
Fuki no to is done when it opens up in oil.

Remove from oil and transfer to paper-towel-lined plate.

3.

Remove extra oil from fuki no to.
Place fuki no to on zaru or strainer. Pour over boil water, and transfer to paper towel to absorb extra water and oil.

4.

Soak in ohitashi marinade at least for 30 minutes.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

<Notes>

• The cut surfaces of fuki no to quickly discolor. Make sure oil is hot and ready before cutting off stems, and immediately put in oil.
• The bitterness softens after a few hours of marinating.
• Agebitashi is ohitashi (cooked ingredients marinated in broth) for which ingredients are deep-fried. It is often made with firm vegetables (such root vegetables -- gobo burdock root and renkon lotus root -- as well as with as kabocha pumpkin).