Moyashi to kamaboko, burokkorii no kuki nibitashi / bean sprouts, fishcake and broccoli stems simmered in light broth

Make this and see if others can tell what the light green vegetable is. Juicy and crisp like asparagus, broccoli stems are great in any dish. With the addition of moyashi bean sprouts, this nibitashi has a pleasant texture you can sink your teeth into. As with other moyashi dishes, this also takes just a few minutes once you start cooking. Quick, easy, and tasty.

<Ingredients>

Handful moyashi bean sprouts (80 g in photo)
1 sasakama fishcake
2 broccoli stems (130 g in photo)
1/2 tsp oil (for sauteing, not in photo)

For broth
150 cc dashi
1 tsp sake
1 tsp mirin
2 tsp usukuchi soy sauce
Salt, to taste (not in photo)


<Directions>
1.

Remove skinny roots and all discolored and damaged parts of moyashi, rinse, and drain.

2.

Thickly skin broccoli stems (outer greener parts), and diagonally slice 3 mm thick.
Diagonally and thinly slice sasakama.

3.

In a pot, heat oil, and saute broccoli stems on medium heat until surface is coated with oil.

Add moyashi and sasakama, and gently stir.

4.

When moyashi is coated with oil, put dashi, sake, mirin and usukuchi soy sauce, and cook for 2 minutes.

Taste, and add salt as necessary.
Remove from heat, and serve in bowls.

<Notes>

• The outer green part of broccoli stems is fibrous and tough. The inner whitish parts are tender.
• Broccoli with longer stems is more commonly found at farmers’ markets and the organic vegetable section at grocery stores.
• Any fishcake or usuage thin-deep-fried tofu can substitute for sasakama.
• First sauteing ingredients with a small amount of oil adds just enough of a rich note without compromising the light, clean taste. When you use more oil, the amount of salt you add tends to increase, and the true salt content is obscured. Watch out for salt in your food!