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Japanese · Fukuoka

Chikuzenni — Hakata Style Simmered Vegetables

Chikuzenni (also called tataki gobo or nishime — regional names for the same preparation style from Chikuzen, the historical name for the area around modern Fukuoka city) is a style of nimono (simmered preparation) that brings together chicken and multiple root vegetables in a single pot — a braise that exemplifies the Japanese approach to umami-multiplying through multiple complementary ingredients cooking together. The classic chikuzenni ingredients: chicken thigh (bone-in for better flavour), renkon (lotus root, important for its texture and visual beauty of the cross-section holes), gobo (burdock root), konnyaku (konjac, for chewy textural contrast), satoimo (taro, for starchy richness), carrots (for colour and sweetness), shiitake (for deep umami), and occasionally bamboo shoots. Each ingredient is cut in specific ways — renkon sliced to show its holes, gobo in irregular chunks, konnyaku torn rather than cut (torn surfaces absorb more flavour). The key technique is the sequential addition of ingredients based on cooking time requirements and a specific wok-frying step before simmering — all the chicken and vegetables are stir-fried briefly in sesame oil before adding the dashi-soy-mirin-sake simmering liquid. This preliminary frying step creates Maillard development on each surface and seals in some moisture, which significantly deepens the final simmered flavour compared to direct simmering.

‹Swipe for the next dish›
ServesFour portions
TotalAbout 1 hour, plus overnight resting for best results
Sourced1of 12 in BC
Cook
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I

The Market List

The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.

600 g
chicken thighs
bone-in
Your own market
200 g
renkon (lotus root)
peeled, sliced 7–8 mm thick, soaked in acidulated water
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
150 g
gobo (burdock root)
skin scrubbed with back of knife, cut in irregular chunks, soaked in acidulated water 10 minutes
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
150 g
konnyaku (konjac)
torn into irregular pieces by hand, not cut
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
200 g
satoimo (taro)
peeled and halved or quartered to uniform size
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
150 g
carrots
cut into irregular chunks
Your own market
6
dried shiitake mushrooms
rehydrated, stems removed, caps halved
Your own market
For the simmering liquid
400 ml
dashi
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
100 ml
100 ml
mirin
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
100 ml
sake
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
2 tbsp
sesame oil
for stir-frying
Your own market

Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.

II

The Method

1
Drain the renkon and gobo from their acidulated soaking water and pat all vegetables and chicken dry. Combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sake in a bowl in the ratio 4:1:1:1 and set aside. Have all ingredients portioned and at hand before the wok is lit.
From the canon — Renkon (lotus root, Nelumbo nucifera) is uniquely valued in Japanese cooking for its decorative cross-section — the characteristic holes in the root create a… Renkon — Lotus Root in Japanese Cooking →
2
Heat the sesame oil in a wide, heavy pot or wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear without moving them; add the gobo and renkon at the same time. Stir-fry, turning the chicken once, until all surfaces show clear Maillard colour — the chicken is golden, the gobo and renkon edges are lightly browned. This is where the dish lives or dies: insufficient colour at this stage cannot be recovered during simmering, and the final flavour will be flat without it.
3
Add the konnyaku and carrots to the pot and continue to stir-fry for two minutes, coating every piece in the seasoned oil.
4
Pour in the simmering liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, then add the satoimo and shiitake. Place an otoshibuta (drop lid) directly on the surface of the ingredients to keep everything submerged and ensure even braising.
From the canon — Shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) holds a unique dual identity in Japanese cooking — it is both a premium fresh ingredient with specific flavour and textur… Shiitake — Fresh and Dried Applications →
5
Reduce heat to a steady simmer and cook for 30–40 minutes. The dish is done when the satoimo offers no resistance to a skewer, the gobo and renkon are completely tender throughout, and the simmering liquid has reduced to a glossy, darkened braise that clings to the vegetables and chicken.
6
Remove from heat. For fullest flavour integration, allow the pot to cool completely and refrigerate overnight. Reheat gently before serving; the liquid should be syrupy and deeply savoury when tasted.
III

Quality Hierarchy

01
Reserve — Bone-in chicken thighs from a heritage breed; hand-made ichiban dashi from first-press katsuobushi and ma-kombu; fresh satoimo and renkon sourced from a Japanese specialist grower; whole dried shiitake of the donko grade.
02
Estate — Free-range bone-in chicken thighs; dashi made from quality dried katsuobushi and kombu; renkon and gobo from an Asian grocer with reliable turnover; mid-grade dried shiitake.
03
Market — Bone-in chicken thighs from a good butcher; dashi prepared from sachets (dashi-no-moto) of reasonable quality; all vegetables from a well-stocked Asian supermarket.
04
House — Any bone-in chicken thighs; liquid dashi stock from a carton; canned or vacuum-packed renkon and bamboo shoots in place of fresh; standard dried shiitake.
IV

Sensory Tests

◇Sight. The surface of the chicken, gobo, and renkon shows clear golden-brown colour before any liquid is added.
◇Sight. The simmering liquid has reduced and darkened to a glossy braise that coats the back of a spoon and clings to the vegetables.
◇Touch. A skewer passes through the satoimo and gobo without resistance.
◇Smell. The pot emits a deep, rounded savouriness — soy, mirin, and sesame unified rather than separate — signalling that flavour exchange between the ingredients is complete.
◇Where it lives or dies. The dish cannot cross from stir-frying into simmering without clear Maillard colour on the chicken, gobo, and renkon — skipping or shortening this step produces a flat, undeveloped braise that no amount of additional simmering can correct.
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VI

What to Pour

The pairing
Toko Premium Aged Imo Shochu 40°
Nishi Shuzo · Kagoshima Shochu
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Shochu
From British Columbia
Fort Berens Riesling
Fort Berens Estate Winery · Lillooet
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Wine
Without alcohol
GT's Synergy Organic Kombucha — Gingerade
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Non-alcoholic

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The whole pairing
Pillar VII
Origin and lineage are part of membership.
Where the dish comes from and how it came to be — on every recipe.
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Sourced through Provenance

The hands behind the plate.

Purely Artisan Foods
San Diego · soy sauce
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