The dish consists of sushi rice cooked in a hot donabe, marinated fresh kanpachi (yellowtail) added to the hot donabe topped with an egg yolk, furikake, scallion, and a special sauce.
I don't usually get that excited about food (well I really do, but not THAT excited), but this was out of this world good. Steve went crazy over it too. I modified the recipe a bit so mine is not exactly the same as the one in the cookbook. It is worth anything you have to do to make it, including purchasing a $54.00 authentic donabe pot from Japan. Take my word for it.
Kanpachi Nabe
Adapted from Uchi Cookbook, Tyson Cole
1 serving
1 T vegetable oil
2 ounces kanpachi, diced
salt and pepper
1 cup cooked sushi rice
Sauce
5 ounces sake
7 ounces mirin
5 ounces reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tsp dashi
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Sesame Relish
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 small Thai chile
1 tsp sesame oil
2 T vegetable oil
Garnish
1 egg yolk
Furikake
Bonito flakes
3/4 stalk scallion, diced
For the sauce: Heat sake in a medium saucepan and burn off alcohol, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Combine remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes. (You will have extra sauce so you can make 3 or 4 servings or use the sauce for other dishes.)
For the sesame relish: Finely dice (brunoise) the garlic and shallot, and thinly slice the Thai chile in rounds. Mix the vegetables with the oils. Set aside
Heat a nabe, or Japanese hot pot, on the stove with a little bit of oil. Toss diced kanpachi with the sesame relish and season with salt and pepper. Just before the oil reaches its smoking point, add the rice. Next add the kanpachi. Top with the egg yolk and sprinkle of furikake, bonito flakes, and finely sliced scallion. The hot ingredients will partially cook the fish and it will be ready immediately. Pour 2 tablespoons kanpachi sauce on top (or more to taste). Serve in hot pot at the table on an insulated place mat.
(I used Hon-dashi, a dried dashi powder similar to bouillon. Furikake is a Japanese seaweed seasoning. Both Hon-dashi and Furikake are sold in Asian stores and Central Market in Texas.)