HandmadeCozyLife

料理を中心に、手作りや少しの工夫で自分らしく、お得でややレトロで、ちょっぴり豊かな普段を公開していきます。

Komatsuna Greens Stewed with Fish Sausage

Komatsuna is cheap, easy to get (at least in Japan it is), and has a pleasantly quenching, succulent crunch to it. It can be paired with thin-fried tofu, baby shrimp, "chikuwa" tubular fish sausage, or any other protein, so it's easy to avoid getting stuck in a rut. In this version I have paired the komatsuma with fish sausage.

 

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The only seasonings you need are soy sauce and cooking sake (white wine will do if you aren't in Japan). Of course, it's possible to go high-end with these and there's no limit to that, but what I'm going for is a wholesome, simple homemade style, so I just use the seasonings that are easiest to find in an ordinary grocery store. Fish stock is not necessary if you are using any kind of seafood, but if you are using tofu, feel free to add fish stock (use mushroom stock for a vegan alternative). The umami factor is what makes this dish, and is a feature of Japanese cooking in general.

 

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Cut the roots off and soak the greens. You can make the whole process quick by chopping the leafy greens up at this point. The chopping can come before or after you wash the greens; it doesn't really matter.

 

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While the greens are soaking, cut up the fish sausage. It's quick if you quarter the sausage lengthwise, line up the strips, and chop them all at once. When you have cut the sausage up, toss it into the skillet and start boiling it with the seasonings plus water.

 

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When you are reasonably certain that the seasonings have seeped into the sausage, cover the sausage with the chopped up greens, put the lid on, and stir when the greens start to wilt. Keeping the greens fairly firm helps to keep the cooked dish edible for longer, which is important if you cook in bulk on the weekend. Overcooking the greens leads to them turning a decidedly unappetizing shade of army green sooner rather than later, which will sap your will to eat them instead of ordering a pizza, missing the point of cooking at home. It's important to get this part just right.

 

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And you're done! It's an unassuming dish, but having a spot of green in your lunchbox or on the table is always a good idea.

 

☆A Little Extra! ☆

You can vary this dish by replacing the fish sausage with any of the fishballs sold for Japanese nabe (clear-broth stew). You can even use baby bok choy instead of komatsuna. In that version, I often season with five spice, Okinawan stir-fry mix spice, and sesame oil for a vaguely Chinese flavor profile. Notice I say it's "vaguely Chinese." I can guarantee this is 100% NOT an authentic Chinese dish.

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Remember to eat your greens!