Stewed Aburaage and Minced Chicken (Hatsugama Tea Ceremony Cuisine)

1. 1

   Mix into the ground chicken, and knead until it sticks together.

2. 2

   Open up the aburaage with a knife into one rectangular piece.

3. 3

   Lightly cover the surface of the aburaage with the ground chicken, arrange the gingko in a row, roll up the aburaage from one side, and secure it with a toothpick or thin spaghetti strand (not listed).

4. 4

   (Roll the aburaage so that the inner part faces outward).

5. 5

   Combine the broth ingredients, the salt, and strained ginger juice in a pot and bring to a boil, place the aburaage from Step 2 into the pot with the seam facing downwards, cover with a drop lid (I cut aluminum foil into a circle about 20 cm in diameter, and completely cover the contents), and stew over a low heat for about 20 minutes.

6. 6

   Prepare seasonal vegetables.

7. 7

   For example, use okra and small eggplants in the summer, or turnips and mountain potatoes in the winter.

8. 8

   Cut into bite-sized pieces, make shallow cuts into skin of the eggplant, peel the turnips, then blanch.

9. 9

   Remove the datemaki rolls from Step 3 once they have stewed, and cut into individual sizes.

10. 10

    Strain the broth (place a strainer into a different pot, spread parchment paper over that, and pour in the broth from above.

11. 11

    Add one more teaspoon salt to the broth from Step 5 (for the veggies), and lightly stew the veggies from Step 4.

12. 12

    Separate vegetables that bleed their color, such as eggplant, into another pot with the broth and lightly stew.

13. 13

    Arrange a generous amount of the separately boiled veggies around the datemaki rolls in a bowl.

14. 14

    Pour the broth over the rolls, garnish with ciboulette chives and grated ginger, and it is done.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.