Nibitashi
A Kyoto vegetable preparation of quiet, meditative restraint — blanched greens briefly simmered in a delicate dashi seasoning liquid, then left to absorb the broth as they cool. The greens drink in the umami of the dashi and emerge deeply flavored yet vibrant, a study in subtraction.
Ingredients
For 4 servings · tick what is ready
Use the scaled ingredient list. Steps and temperatures stay unchanged; use a larger pan or dish if needed. Seasonings to taste stay to taste.
How to make it
Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil. Submerge the spinach stems first for 15 seconds, then push the leaves under and blanch for 30–45 seconds total. The water must be at a full rolling boil throughout — a weak boil steams instead of blanches and the color suffers. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water and leave for 1 full minute.
Combine dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Taste — the broth should taste pleasantly salty and lightly sweet, slightly more assertive than you want the finished dish to be, because the greens will dilute it. Simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the raw mirin alcohol.
Add the squeezed blanched greens to the simmering broth. Gently submerge them and simmer for just 60 seconds — this opens the cell walls slightly to allow the broth to enter. Remove from heat and let the greens steep in the broth, off the heat, for 15 minutes as the liquid cools. Lift the greens out, squeeze gently again to remove excess broth, and cut into 4 cm lengths. Arrange in small mounds in serving bowls. Spoon a small amount of the steeping liquid over each portion and top with bonito flakes.
About this recipe
By ForkRecipe Kitchen · Source: ForkRecipe / FoodML and contributors. Recipe content available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Serving count is an estimate; check quantities in the source recipe.