Over the last….well, almost ten years now, I've posted quite a few recipes. You'll notice that the number has gone down over the years, because, well, I've pretty much posted on "almost" everything I made as a kid and young adult, and after maybe 150+ recipes where do you go? You'll notice as the recipes diminished, the plain "cooking posts" have increased.
Anyway, there are about 15 or so recipes that get a bunch of traffic; many of them are "local kine" recipes, standards back home in Hawaii. Around this time of the year, I start getting a few hits for my Nishime recipe from back in 2006. Sheesh, do you even remember what you were doing in January of 2006? Nishime is somewhat of a pain to make…….but it's a labor of love I guess and it's a favorite during the holiday season back home….at least it used to be. Not sure about nowadays.
After I did an update to my Sukiyaki recipe, which wasn't much of a change from the original, which was also from back in March of 2006, the Missus suggested that I update my Nishime recipe. Probably because She wanted some Nishime and this would guarantee I'd make it.
There aren't that many changes. I've just incorporated steps that just seem to make sense to ramp up the flavor. Mom really never went as far…..she probably was as tired of making this every year as I get. The one step missing is the one to make kombu maki. I just tie the kanpyo into strips along with the konbu nowadays….who knows, maybe after reading this, the Missus will request the return of the konbu maki. Also, note that we now will sometimes use chicken thighs, instead of just pork. But we have added pork/chicken bones to the recipe.
Anyway, version 2014 looks pretty much the same.
The flavor has been bumped up a bit. And yes, I still don't buy the frozen premade araimo/satoimo, gobo, or konbu maki. All have preservatives which change the flavor.
Nishime – version 2014:
1 pound sliced lean pork, boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, or a combination of both
1-2 pounds pork bones or a chicken carcass quatered with boiling water poured over to descum
2-3Tb canola/grapeseed/avocado oil
4 cups water
2 – 36" Strips Nishime(not Dashi) Kombu(Kelp)
1 Strip Kanpyo (Dried Gourd)
2 Packages Shirataki 
2 Cups Daikon cut into wedges
1 Cup Carrots cut using a rolling cut
2 Cans Takenoko Tips(Bamboo Shoot Tips)
2 Stalks Gobo (Burdock Root)
12-15 Satoimo/Araimo/Dasheen(Japanese Taro)
6 dried Shiitake mushroom
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Mirin
1 Cup of reserved, strained mushroom liquid
1 Cup of kombu soaking liquid
2 Tb Sake
1/2 Tsp salt
2 Cloves Garlic Minced
– Place one large pot and one medium pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil.
– Soak dried mushroom in warm water for 30 minutes
– Soak Kombu and Kanpyo in water for 20 minutes.
– Cut Gobo in half; and scrape "skin/bark" off of root using a spoon. Immediately place in water to prevent discoloration.
– Place whole Araimo in large pot of boiling water and blanch. (Blanching makes the taro much easier to peel)
– If the smell or slight bitterness of Bamboo Shoots bothers you, pour half the boiling water from the medium pot over Bamboo Shoots, drain, cut into slices lengthwise.
– Open the packages of Shirataki (yam noodles) and place in a colander. Pour the rest boiling water over Shirataki to remove the "smell".
– Rinse Kombu and Kanpyo, and strip lengthwise if wider than 3 inches. Tie into knots at 2 inch intervals. Reserve 1 cup of Kombu soaking liquid
– Cut Gobo into 1/2" matchstick lengths. Parboil in water for several minutes (I use a microwave for 3 minutes on high), reserve ½ cup of liquid.
– Remove the Araimo from boiling water, rinse, peel (Be careful if cutting the taro, it is very starchy and slippery), and place in water to avoid discoloration.
– Cut Daikon into "wedges", cut Carrots using a "rolling cut".
– Mince garlic.
– In a large pot or Dutch Oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and pork/chicken/bones and lightly brown
– Add water, all the vegetables(except Shiitakes), sugar, sake, and mirin. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
– Remove mushrooms from soaking liquid and slice in half. Reserve 1 cup of soaking liquid. Add to the pot.
– Strain mushroom and kombu liquid.
– Add soy sauce, taste and add salt as desired.
– After 15 minutes, taste, and add mushroom and gobo liquid as desired.
– Simmer until daikon is translucent, but not falling apart.
– As with most stews, this tastes better the next day.
So there you go……… Nishime version 2014!
Maybe I need update my older recipes….the ones that are really popular like the Cold Ginger Chicken sauce, local kine oxtail soup, local kine chili, local kine Portuguese Bean Soup, etc, etc??? What do you think?
Happy New Year!
