Chanko Nabe

Complex, umami-rich soup that you can customize to include whatever ingredients you like

---

City/Region: Japan

Time Period: 1937

---

During the Edo Period (1603-1868), sumo shifted from a way for samurai to train for battle to a competition between elite athletes. This is also when sumo wrestlers started to become known for their size, which was in part a result of eating chanko nabe and lots and lots of rice.

There is no one recipe for chanko nabe, as it varies from place to place and can depend on what’s in season. During a tournament, it’s typically made with chicken (this is good luck for a sumo wrestler, as a chicken is agile and stays on two feet), but can otherwise be made with whatever vegetables are on hand and that you like.

“Pieces of chicken meat and chicken liver are added to an earthenware pot containing chicken stock. The dish also includes carrots, onions, Chinese cabbage, pieces of fried tofu and shirataki…”

— Chanko Kawasaki, 1937

---

Ingredients:

• 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon dashi powder*
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) mirin
• 2 tablespoons white miso
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Meat and vegetables, really whatever you like

What I used:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken legs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 chicken livers, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• Chinese or napa cabbage
• 2 packs of shirataki noodles, drained and rinsed
• Several slices abura age (fried thinly sliced tofu)*
• Fresh and pickled daikon radish
• Shiitake mushrooms

Instructions:

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Stir in the dashi powder. Boil for 1 minute.
2. Lower the heat to medium and add the mirin and miso. Stir for a few minutes until the miso has completely dissolved and the broth is cloudy.
3. Stir in the soy sauce and garlic, then simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Bring the broth to a boil in a Japanese earthenware hotpot (or any pot will do). Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add the carrot, onions, daikon, and any vegetables that will take longer to cook. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients. I cooked the chanko nabe for just a few more minutes, but you can decide what to do. People will cook it for a long time, a short time, or turn off the heat and let the ingredients just warm up.
6. For extra authenticity, serve the chanko nabe forth with large quantities of steamed rice. Like, aiming for 10,000 calories a day quantities.

Notes

• Ingredients like dashi and abura age can be found at Japanese markets (and some other Asian markets) and online

---