Fuki no sattoni / quick-simmered Japanese butterbur in light broth

This fuki dish has a weak flavor at first, and it is a good way to keep cooked fuki for a few days. Fuki slowly absorbs flavor and takes on a full-bodied taste after two days. In the meantime, prepared fuki can be used for a number of dishes.

<Ingredients>

10-12 stalks fuki Japanese butterbur

For broth
300 cc dashi
3 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp usukuchi soy sauce


<Directions>
1.

Prep-boil fuki and peel off skin.

Cut into 3-4 cm.

2.

In a pot, put all ingredients. and bring to boil.

Add fuki, bring to boil, and remove from heat.

3.

Remove fuki from broth, and cool fuki and the broth separately.

4.

When fuki and broth are both cool (at least room temperature), put fuki back in broth, and refrigerate.

This dish is good hot, room temperature or chilled.

<Notes>

• Fuki tastes quite bland and rather sweet on Day 1.
• Variations before fuki takes on full flavor: okakani [simmered with bonito flakes]; ume okakani [simmered with bonito flakes and pickled plum]; gomani [simmered with tahini]; piinattsuae [with peanut dressing]; shiraae [with tofu dressing]; and gomaae [with sesame dressing].
• After fuki takes on full flavor, it can be served as is or topped with bonito flakes, umeboshi plum, or coarsely ground toasted sesame seeds. It can also be sliced and mixed into steamed rice.