Name: Anything Goes Donabe
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 ounce bean thread noodles, soaked in water 15 minutes; 4 cups Dashi; 1/2 cup mirin; 1/2 cup light soy sauce (usukuchi); 4 scallions, 2 thinly sliced on a steep diagonal, 2 sliced 2 inches thick; 1/4 head of Napa cabbage, sliced into 2-inch pieces; 4 littleneck clams; 4 jumbo shrimp, preferably head-on; 1 (6-ounce) red snapper or black bass fillet, sliced crosswise 3/4 inch thick; 1 large skinless, boneless chicken thigh, cut into 1-inch pieces; 6 ounces firm tofu, sliced 1/2 inch thick; 4 ounces oyster mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces; 3 ounces enoki mushrooms; 1 small carrot, peeled, halved crosswise, thinly sliced lengthwise

A donabe filled with vegetables tofu and mushrooms with a hand holding a set of chopsticks.

Photo by Peden & Munk

Chicken, seafood, glass noodles, and vegetables get briefly poached in dashi-based broth. Cutting the ingredients into uniform pieces ensures they cook in the same amount of time.

Recipe information

Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

1 ounce bean thread noodles, soaked in water 15 minutes

4 cups Dashi

1/2 cup mirin

1/2 cup light soy sauce (usukuchi)

4 scallions, 2 thinly sliced on a steep diagonal, 2 sliced 2 inches thick

1/4 head of Napa cabbage, sliced into 2-inch pieces

4 littleneck clams

4 jumbo shrimp, preferably head-on

1 (6-ounce) red snapper or black bass fillet, sliced crosswise 3/4 inch thick

1 large skinless, boneless chicken thigh, cut into 1-inch pieces

6 ounces firm tofu, sliced 1/2 inch thick

4 ounces oyster mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces

3 ounces enoki mushrooms

1 small carrot, peeled, halved crosswise, thinly sliced lengthwise

Preparation

Step 1
Place noodles in a large bowl and add cold water to cover; let soak 15 minutes. Drain.
Step 2
Meanwhile, combine dashi, mirin, and soy sauce in a medium bowl.
Step 3
Place thinly sliced scallions in a small bowl and add cold water to cover. Soak until they begin to curl, 8–10 minutes. Drain; squeeze to remove excess water.
Step 4
Lay cabbage in a large donabe or Dutch oven. Arrange clams, shrimp, snapper, chicken, tofu, mushrooms, carrot, 2" scallion pieces, and noodles on top; add dashi mixture.
Step 5
Cover donabe and heat over medium-high until liquid is just simmering. Uncover, reduce heat to low, and gently simmer until clams open and chicken and fish are cooked through, 5–8 minutes.
Step 6
Serve topped with drained scallions.

Recipe notes

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Recipe notes

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