Kabu no ha to ninjin, age no nibitashi / Japanese turnip leaf, carrot and thin deep-fried tofu in light broth

A low-key, everyday dish with the colorful orange of carrot to brighten up your meal.

<Ingredients>

Handful kabu Japanese turnip leaves
6-7 cm carrot
2 small or 1 large usuage thin deep-fried tofu

For broth
200 cc dashi
1 tbsp sake + mirin in combination (equal parts)
1 tbsp usukuchi soy sauce
1 tsp regular soy sauce


<Directions>
1.

Boil usuage to get rid of excess oil.

2.

Cut carrot crosswise in half, and slice each section into rectangle shape.
First take off 4 outer sides to form a rectangular column, and slice into rectangles.

3.

In a pot, put dashi, sake + mirin and carrot, and bring to boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

4.

Meanwhile, chop kabu leaves, and cut usuage into 1 cm wide strips.

5.

Add usuage, usukuchi soy sauce and 1/2-2/3 of specified amount of regular soy sauce, and continue simmering until carrot is tender.

6.

Add firmer part of kabu leaves. 

When white (firmer) sections start to become somewhat translucent, add remaining leaves.

Simmer until kabu leaves are done, 1-2 minutes.

Taste, and add more soy sauce as necessary.
Remove from heat.

<Notes>

• Cooking time depends on the size and thickness of ingredients. In order to prevent an overly salty result, be careful not to reduce broth too much by cooking it too long or on higher heat.
• Nibitashi is a general term for dishes where ingredients (vegetables are the common choice) are simmered, flavored with soy sauce and something sweet (sake and mirin above). It is usually eaten hot or warm (room temperature or higher). Usuage, atsuage deep-fried tofu, kamaboko fishcake or satumaage deep-fried fishcake is often added to give the dish a deeper flavor.