A healthy hotpot is a great way to up the vegetable ante, whilst maintaining delicious flavours to satisfy almost all appetites.
INGREDIENTS
250 g firm tofu, cut into 1 cm cubes
1 tbsp and 1 tsp dark-roasted sesame oil
5 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 2 cups of water
3 cm length kombu, soaked in ½ cup water
½ onion, finely sliced
2 cm knob of ginger, finely sliced
1 carrot, sliced diagonally
½ diakon, sliced diagonally
100 g baby bok choy or choy sum, chopped
50 g enoki mushrooms
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp shoyu
TO MAKE
Pat the tofu dry with paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the tofu for 3–5 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a bowl of warm water to remove any excess oil, then drain, press out any excess water and set aside.
Drain the shiitake mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Trim the stems and slice the caps. Slice the kombu into strips.
Heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat and saute the onion and ginger for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the shiitake, kombu, carrot, daikon and 2 cups of the shiitake soaking water to the pan. Increase the heat to high, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the carrots are almost tender.
Add the tofu, bok choy and enoki mushrooms and simmer for 3 minutes, then stir in the mirin and shoyu and cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and divide the hotpot between bowls. Serves 4.
From Feel Good Food by Tony Chiodo. Published by Hardie Grant Books.
