Aimaze (Simmered Root Vegetables with Vinegar)

Quick answer

Total time: 40 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 10

About this dish

Aimaze is a root vegetable side dish from the Noto area of Ishikawa, traditionally prepared for New Year and other special occasions.

Soaked flattened soybeans, burdock, and fried tofu are simmered with soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar only until they retain some bite. Briefly blanched daikon and carrot are folded in at the end, while vinegar is added after the heat is turned off. The finished dish has distinct vegetable textures and can be served warm or cooled.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
flattened dried soybeans	20	g
burdock root	40	g
fried tofu pouch	20	g
daikon radish	200	g
carrot	20	g
soy sauce	4	tbsp
mirin	1.5	tbsp
sake	1.5	tbsp
sugar	1.5	tbsp
vinegar	1.5	tbsp

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

5 steps

1

Heat

Soak the flattened dried soybeans in water.

Shave the burdock into thin strips and soak it in water. Pour boiling water over the fried tofu to remove excess oil, then cut it into thin strips.
2

Heat

Cut the daikon and carrot into thin strips about 3 cm long.

Blanch them briefly in boiling water, cool, and squeeze out the water thoroughly.
3

Control

Put the drained soybeans and burdock in a saucepan with the fried tofu.

Add the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar, then simmer over medium heat until seasoned through.
4

Season

Turn off the heat when the burdock and soybeans are seasoned but still retain some bite.

Add the vinegar and mix it through evenly.
5

Finish

Add the squeezed daikon and carrot to the saucepan and fold them gently through the seasoned mixture.

Serve warm or allow the aimaze to cool completely.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: A Noto root vegetable side dish with soybeans and burdock
Finish cue: Add the squeezed daikon and carrot to the saucepan and fold them gently through the seasoned mixture.
Storage and reheating: Serve warm or allow the aimaze to cool completely.