Iridori Chicken and Root Vegetable Dry-Sauteed Simmered Dish

Iridori (炒り鶏 — 'sautéed chicken') — sometimes called chikuzen-ni (筑前煮, named after the old Chikuzen province now Fukuoka in Kyushu) — is one of Japan's most enduring and beloved home cooking preparations: bone-in chicken pieces and a combination of root vegetables (gobo burdock, renkon lotus root, ninjin carrot, satoimo taro, and konnyaku konjac) are first sautéed in sesame oil until slightly coloured, then braised together in a dashi-soy-mirin-sake stock until fully cooked and the liquid is largely absorbed. The defining 'iri' (炒り) component — the initial high-heat dry sauté — is what distinguishes this dish from standard simmered nimono: the high heat renders the chicken fat and creates Maillard browning on the skin and vegetable surfaces that adds a roasted character absent from directly simmered preparations. The sauté step also evaporates excess moisture from the vegetables, helping them maintain their structural integrity during the subsequent braising phase rather than becoming waterlogged and disintegrating. The completed dish should have a glossy coating from the reduced cooking liquid clinging to each piece — more concentrated and drier than a standard stewed dish. Iridori is a classic osechi ryori preparation (appearing in new year bento boxes), a standard school lunch menu item (kyushoku), and a home cooking staple across Japan. The dish keeps well for 3–5 days in the refrigerator, developing more complex flavour as the ingredients continue to absorb the braising liquid.