Kiritanpo Akita Rice Stick Hot Pot Skewer Mashed

Ingredients

• For the kiritanpo
• 600 g Akitakomachi short-grain rice, cooked, still warm
• 8 cedar skewers, soaked in water
• For the nabe stock
• 1.2 litres dashi or light chicken stock
• 3 tbsp shottsuru fish sauce, Akita fermented fish sauce; not substituted
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• For the nabe
• 400 g hinai-dori chicken, thigh or drumstick, cut into pieces
• 1 burdock root (gobo), shaved into thin strips, soaked briefly in cold water
• 2 Japanese leek (negi), cut diagonally into 4 cm lengths
• 100 g konjac (konnyaku), torn into rough pieces by hand
• 100 g mushrooms, maitake or shiitake, stems trimmed
• 1 bunch mitsuba (Japanese trefoil), cut into 3 cm lengths, added at the end

Method

1. 1
   Pound the warm cooked rice in a mortar or wooden bowl using a pestle or wet hands. Work until the mass coheres and roughly two-thirds of the grains are crushed, leaving a visible granular texture throughout. The mixture should hold a pressed shape without crumbling but must not form a smooth, uniform paste.
2. 2
   Divide the pounded rice into eight equal portions. Wet both hands and press each portion firmly around a cedar skewer, forming a cylinder approximately 3 cm in diameter and 10–12 cm long. Press the rice evenly so there are no gaps or thin patches; the cylinder must grip the skewer without slipping.
3. 3
   Grill the formed cylinders over a charcoal fire or under a broiler, turning to expose all sides. This step decides the dish: the exterior must develop a lightly charred, firm, golden-brown crust on all sides — this resilient outer layer is what prevents the kiritanpo from dissolving in the broth and gives them their defining textural contrast. The interior remains soft. Remove when the surface shows clear golden patches and carries a faint char aroma.
4. 4
   Remove the grilled kiritanpo from the skewers and cut each cylinder diagonally into 3–4 cm pieces. Set aside. The pieces may be refrigerated for up to 2–3 days at this stage.
5. 5
   Bring the stock to a steady simmer in a donabe or heavy-based pot set at the table or on the stove. Add the shottsuru and soy sauce. Add the hinai-dori chicken pieces and bring back to a full simmer; the chicken must be cooked through and the stock visibly deepened in colour and aroma before proceeding.
6. 6
   Add the burdock, konjac, leek, and mushrooms to the simmering broth. Cook until the burdock has lost its raw resistance and the mushrooms have softened and released their fragrance into the stock.
7. 7
   Add the kiritanpo pieces for the final five minutes only. They will absorb the shottsuru-flavoured broth and swell slightly; the grilled exterior holds their form while the interior becomes saturated with stock. Remove from heat as soon as each piece is heated through and yielding to gentle pressure — further cooking dissolves them. Scatter mitsuba over the surface and serve immediately from the pot.