Yamagata Taro Hot Pot (芋煮, Imoni)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Donabe (clay pot), or a wide heavy pot
• •Fine-mesh strainer lined with a clean cloth
• •Wooden drop-lid (otoshibuta), or a circle of parchment
• •Small skimmer or ladle

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dashi

   Wipe the konbu with a damp cloth, but don't wash it. That pale bloom on the surface is flavor, not dirt. Put the konbu in 6 cups cold water and bring it up slowly over low heat, about 10 to 12 minutes. Pull the konbu when the water trembles and small bubbles climb the sides. Bring the water just to a gentle boil, add the katsuobushi all at once, then turn off the heat and leave it alone for 3 minutes. Strain through a cloth-lined sieve and let it drip without pressing.

   Boiling konbu makes the stock bitter and slick; squeezing bonito flakes pushes strong oily flavors into the dashi. You are guarding clarity, which is the floor this whole pot stands on.
2. 2

   Clean the taro

   Peel the satōimo with dry hands, or wear gloves if your skin is sensitive. Cut large pieces in half so they are roughly the same size. Rub them with the tablespoon of salt until the surfaces feel slick, rinse, then parboil in plain water for 5 minutes and rinse once more. This is not fussing. It removes the surface starch and prickle that can cloud the broth, while keeping the creamy heart of the taro intact.

   Taro must be cooked fully tender. A skewer should enter with only a little resistance at first, then cleanly by the end of the simmer.
3. 3

   Prepare the konnyaku

   Tear the konnyaku into bite-size pieces with your hands or the edge of a spoon, then boil it for 2 minutes and drain. The rough torn faces catch more broth than neat knife cuts, and the brief boil carries off the alkaline smell. Trim the mushrooms if using, and separate the white and green parts of the naganegi so the greens can go in last.

4. 4

   Start the pot

   Put the dashi, parboiled taro, konnyaku, and sake in a donabe or wide heavy pot. Bring it to a quiet simmer and skim the surface as needed. Cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until a skewer enters the taro with slight resistance. If the pieces bob above the surface, set an otoshibuta, a wooden drop-lid, on top, or use a circle of parchment. Gentle contact keeps the pieces seasoned without stirring them to pieces.

5. 5

   Season the broth

   Stir in the sugar and 4 tablespoons soy sauce. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until the taro is tender through the center and the broth tastes savory-sweet but still drinkable. Seasoning after the taro has begun to soften keeps the centers creamy; salt too early can make the outside firm before the inside is ready. Add the last tablespoon of soy sauce only if the broth tastes thin.

6. 6

   Add the beef

   Lower the heat so the broth barely moves. Add the beef in loose folds, a few slices at a time, and swish them apart with chopsticks or a ladle. Skim any foam. Add the mushrooms and the white parts of the naganegi, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, just until the beef loses its redness and the mushrooms soften. Thin beef gives flavor quickly, and it toughens if you bully it.

   Use beef with some fat. Lean stew meat belongs to another pot; here the slices should season the broth and stay tender.
7. 7

   Finish and serve

   Add the green naganegi tops and simmer 1 minute more. Taste the broth, adding a small pinch of salt only if it needs focus. Turn off the heat and rest the pot for 5 minutes before serving. That short rest lets the taro drink a little more broth and calms the surface. Serve from the donabe into individual tori-zara plates or shallow bowls, with a little broth in each serving and no crowded heap.

Chef Tips

• •Choose satōimo in autumn if you can: firm, heavy little corms with no soft spots and a clean earthy smell. Frozen peeled taro is a sensible stand-in on a weeknight, but fresh taro at shun gives the pot its quiet depth.
• •Ask for thinly sliced beef meant for sukiyaki or shabu-shabu, with visible ribbons of fat. Sourcing first, always. A tough, lean cut will not become tender just because the broth is kind.
• •This is the inland Yamagata pot: beef and soy sauce. The Shōnai coast has its own pork-and-miso version, and it deserves to be made as itself, not folded into this one.
• •At the riverside, some pots begin with water and let the beef do the work. At home, a light dashi gives you a clean foundation without stealing the dish from Yamagata. Don't use instant powder when the broth is meant to be tasted.
• •Many imonikai finish the remaining broth with udon and Japanese curry seasoning. Keep the first serving plain. Let the taro speak before the after-party begins.

Advance Preparation

• •The dashi can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated. Reheat it gently before building the pot.
• •The konnyaku can be torn, boiled, and refrigerated 1 day ahead.
• •The satōimo can be peeled and parboiled a few hours ahead. Keep it covered with fresh water in the refrigerator, then drain before simmering.
• •Finished imoni is best the day it is made. Reheat leftovers gently below a hard boil so the beef stays tender and the taro keeps its shape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 700g)