Buta Nabe (Pork Miso Hot Pot)

Name: Buta Nabe (Pork Miso Hot Pot)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 lb pork ((thinly sliced) (450g)); 1 cube tofu ((drained and sliced into 1in x ½in x ½in pieces) (14oz/400g)); 1 block konnyaku ((sliced cross-wise into ¼in thick slices) (8.8oz/250g)); 4 oz boiled lotus root (/ renkon (110g)); 1 small carrot ((thinly sliced into rounds)); 4 napa cabbage leaves ((sliced)); 4 oz garland chrysanthemum (/ shungiku / tangho (rinsed and drained) (110g)); 4 green onions ((sliced into 2-inch lengths)); 6 cups water ((1.4 liters)); 1½ tsp dashi; ½ cup miso ((130g)); Ponzu; Goma dare ((sesame sauce))

Asian, Main Dish, Pork, Soup

This quick and easy Buta Nabe (Pork Miso Hot Pot) can be put together in 30 minutes. Cooking is done at the table. Very warm and comforting on a cold day.

The temperature dipped down to the 20’s this past weekend and snow came sooner than expected. We were out shopping at the mall when the white flakes started to fall. Hastily, we made our final purchases and scrambled home. Come Sunday morning, there were three inches of white pristine snow on the ground. We woke up to the sound of the snow plows scrapping the streets in the neighborhood.

A Cold Day Calls for a Hot Pot Dinner

With snow falling outside, we craved for something warm, soupy, and comforting for dinner. Not in the mood to do a whole lot of cooking, I decided on this Buta Nabe (Pork Miso Hot Pot) using the pre-sliced pork I had in the refrigerator. All I needed to do was to cook a pot of rice and cut up some vegetables, tofu, and konnyaku. I made a quick and simple broth using instant dashi and miso and dinner was set at the table in under 30 minutes.

Sliced Pork

There is always a package or two of thinly sliced pork in the freezer. I use it when I am in a pinch. In this case, I just thaw and transfer the meat onto a plate.

Vegetables

Garland chrysanthemum, also known as shungiku (in Japanese) or tang ho (in Fujianese) has an almost herbal flavor. It is a favorite in Chinese and Japanese hot pots.

You can’t go wrong with Napa cabbage. It is another favorite in hot pots as it can withstand cooking for a period of time. Adds sweetness to the broth.

Tofu

Tofu and green onions are two staples in many Chinese and Japanese kitchens. Tofu is delicious in hot pots because it absorbs the flavor from the broth. Green onions add color and fragrance.

Konnyaku

Konnyaku (yam cake) has very little to no taste and a slight oceanic scent. Firmer than gelatin it is valued more for its texture than flavor. It is typically found in dishes such as Oden (in cubes) and Sukiyaki (in the form of shirataki noodles). Comes in white or mottled brown grey with addition of seaweed (hijiki) powder.

For use in this Buta Nabe (Pork Miso Hot Pot), you can simply cut the block of konnyaku cross-wise into ¼ inch thick slices and leave them as is. I like to cut a slit down the center leaving both ends intact and then push the top of the strip through the slit to create a decorative tie. It looks really pretty that way.

Boiled Lotus Root (Renkon)

Prepackaged boiled lotus roots in brine can be purchased at most Asian grocery stores. They are the crunchy kind of lotus root and can be used in hot pots or stir fries. This kind of lotus root has very little flavor and goes well with miso flavor. Of course carrots provide a lovely dash of color.

Appliance Used for Serving Buta Nabe (Pork Miso Hot Pot)

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• Zojirushi Multi Functional Electric Skillet
• Narita Electric Multi-Cooker Shabu Shabu Hot Pot