Umani (Japanese Stew of Root Vegetables Seaweed and Chicken)

By: littleturtle
Jan 8, 2007

Rich Japanese stew similar to nishime. Made primarily with root vegetables and a small amount of meat with a soy sauce and sugar base. Also common to both dishes is the use of konnyaku (a tasteless and calorie-less jelly-like cake made from a tuber root called devil's tongue) and kombu (strips of seaweed). Traditionally, the stew is simmered until cooked, then cooled and reheated, a process that may be repeated several times. This infuses the soy-sugar flavors deeply into the ingredients and leaves very little soupiness. You can approximate this procedure simply by making your nishime/umani a day ahead and refrigerating it overnight, then reheating. The dish may be adapted to include more of the veggies you like, less of what you don't like. Many people also like adding tiny Japanese taro (araimo). Konnyaku (aka konjac/yam cake) is found in the refrigerated section near the tofu. Use either the white, refined type or the brown, unrefined version. Shirataki noodles would be near the tofu as well (I found them at a health food store; apparently they're great for low-carbers) You can make a quick and easy dashi by putting 1 strip of kelp and 1/2 cup bonito flakes (I found them right next to each other in the Asian section of the same store) in 4 cups water or veggie stock and bring it to a boil; as soon as it boils, remove from heat and strain the dashi into a bowl. Burdock root should be found with the fresh produce or use reconstituted dried burdock root.