Chicken Mizutake (for 4 to 6)

• 1 chicken fryer, washed & cut in pieces
• 1 sheet dashikobu (kelp) about 8 inches long
• 3 to 4 mushrooms, soaked in water & cut in pieces
• 3 to 4 leaves Hakusai (chinese won bok) washed & cut
• ½ tofu cut into squares (plain or fried lightly)
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. MSG

Sauce:

• Shoyu, lemon juice, grated daikon, minced green onion
• chili pepper (optional)

Put chicken pieces in pot filled with water just to cover, with dashikobu at the bottom for seasoning, and cook at medium heat. Scoop out all scum as they rise to surface. When it begins to boil, take out dashikobu, add mushroom and cook at low till chicken is done, then add salt and MSG. Set the pot on stove or hichirin at the table, (for this purpose the Japanese clay pot “donabe” is ideal.) Then add Hakusai, then add tofu last. Dip in individual sauces.

Each individual mix sauce to suit his own taste by putting desired amount of daikon, green onion, shoyu and lemon juice in individual dishes. For hot taste add chili pepper, for sour taste add more lemon, etc.

For variations, other vegetables can be added or exchanged, such as daikon, carrots, Japanese spinach, leek, bamboo shoots, etc.