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Chanko Nabe (Chicken Meatball Hot Pot, Soy Sauce Broth)
Serves 3–4 · About 40 min
A hot pot with ground chicken meatballs, vegetables and tofu, simmered in plenty of soy sauce broth.
① Cut the vegetables and tofu→② Make the meatball mix→③ Bring the soup to a boil→④ Simmer the meatballs→⑤ Simmer the vegetables
What to buy
Meat & eggs
Vegetables
Tofu
Seasonings
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How to make it
1
Cut the vegetables, tofu and aburaage
- Cut 10 cm of the white part of the long green onion and chop it finely (for the meatballs). Cut the rest into 1 cm wide diagonal slices
- Pull off the napa cabbage leaves one by one and wash them. Cut the white stems 3 cm wide and the green leaves 5 cm wide
- Peel the carrot and cut into 5 mm thick rounds
- Cut off the shiitake stems
- Take the tofu out of the pack, put it on the cutting board and cut into 8 pieces. Cut the aburaage 2 cm wide
How to tell it's doneEverything is cut, and only the finely chopped green onion is set aside on a small plate.
2
Make the meatball mix
- In a bowl, put the ground chicken, the chopped green onion from step 1, 1 egg, 1 tbsp potato starch, 1 tsp ginger and a pinch of salt
- Mix well with your hands for about 2 minutes
- After mixing, wash your hands with soap
How to tell it's doneThe whole mix looks whitish and is sticky enough to stick to your hands.
3
Bring the soup to a boil
- In a clay pot or deep pot, put 800 ml water, 2 tsp dashi granules, 2 tbsp sake, 2 tbsp mirin and 3 tbsp soy sauce
- Put on the lid and bring to a boil over medium heat
How to tell it's doneThe whole soup is bubbling hard.
4
Add the meatballs and simmer
- Using 2 spoons, shape the mix into balls about 3 cm across and drop them one at a time into the boiling soup (about 12 in total)
- Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Skim off the brownish foam (scum) that comes to the top with a ladle and throw it away
How to tell it's doneAll the meatballs float up. Take out the biggest one and cut it in half: it is white all the way through, and no red juice comes out.
Be carefulIf you drop them where the soup is not boiling, the meatballs fall apart easily. Drop them where it is bubbling.
5
Simmer the vegetables and tofu
- Add the napa cabbage stems, carrot and shiitake, put on the lid and simmer 5 minutes
- Add the napa cabbage leaves, sliced green onion, tofu and aburaage, put on the lid and simmer 3 minutes
- Taste. If it's bland, add soy sauce 1 tsp at a time
ReadyChopsticks go easily into the carrot, and the cabbage leaves are soft.
📚 Learn more about this dish
🥬 Ingredient guide
If it didn't work out
The meatballs fall apartYou didn't mix enough in step 2, or the soup wasn't boiling when you added them. Next time mix until sticky and drop them where it's bubbling.
The meatballs are hardThey cooked too long. Once the meatballs are cooked through, just cook until the vegetables are done.
The flavor is weakAdd soy sauce 1 tsp at a time, tasting each time.
The broth got lowAdd 100 ml water and 1 tsp soy sauce and bring back to a boil.
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