Mizutaki X Keihan
(Contains Chicken | Contains Gluten | Dairy-Free)
In Japan, once it starts getting chilly outside, it’s that time of year again when comfort food means a good old-fashioned nabe or Japanese hot pot. Mizutaki is one of the classic nabemono, communal stews widely eaten in Hakata during summer too. In Kagoshima, we had a traditional dinner at the Shiroyama Hotel and one of the dishes served was soup with rice and chicken, shredded omelette and a very unique, thinly sliced shiso leaf. I was told this is called keihan. I was totally mesmerised and could not put my spoon down! Such comforting food and it reminded me of Teochew-style porridge back home!
Ingredients used for Mizataki X Keihan
When I set out to create a new SouperChef Special, I was going back and forth between these two inspirations, which to me, are defining comfort soups for the Japanese soul. I just could not decide between mizutaki and keihan! Then it struck me — why not have the best of both worlds, cooking keihan using mizutaki techniques, resulting in a really rich soup broth filled with collagen? This has been the trend of late as collagen has been said to boost firmness of skin, strengthen blood vessels, boost blood supply and enhance metabolism to help break down fats. Definitely a beauty booster and perfect for maintaining youthful skin and slowing down the aging process! It worked wonderfully well and to me this is the best chicken soup I’ve ever had, an embodiment of true comfort food — traditional, heartwarming and nutritious to a T!
Ingredients: Chicken stock (water, chicken bones, root vegetables), marinated chicken, white radish, carrots, zucchini, shiitake mushrooms, black fungus, barley, lemons, soy sauce, onions, garlic, ginger
Condiments: shredded seaweed, spring onion, pickled sliced ginger, sansho pepper