Dojo-Ni (Whole Loach Simmered with Burdock)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 55 min
- Level
- Hard
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Dojo-ni is a freshwater fish stew from eastern Saitama in which cleaned loaches are simmered whole with burdock, tofu, and long onion in seasoned broth.
Read more
The loaches are placed in a deep covered container and sake is poured in along the rim; once they stop moving, they are transferred to warishita made in a ratio of four parts water, one part sake, and one part soy sauce, with mirin added. Thinly shaved burdock enters at the same time and the pot is brought to a strong boil. The heat is then lowered before bite-size tofu and chopped onion are added. Cooking continues until the fish is opaque, thoroughly heated, and tender enough to eat with its small bones. The dish reflects river and paddy life around the Tone and Ayase basins, where loaches were caught from summer into autumn. Slender ones went into soup, while plump fish were reserved for whole stewing.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Scrape the burdock lightly, shave it into thin pieces, soak briefly in water, and drain.
Cut the tofu into bite-size pieces and finely chop the long onion.
- 2Control
Place the cleaned food-grade loaches in a deep container and cover immediately.
Keeping face and hands clear, slowly pour the designated sake along the lid edge and leave covered until all movement stops.
- 3Control
Combine the warishita water, warishita sake, soy sauce, and mirin in a separate pot.
Add the loaches and drained burdock and place over high heat until the entire pot boils rapidly.
- 4Control
Once boiling, lower to medium heat and skim the foam.
Add the tofu and onion, keep the loaches below the broth, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the flesh is opaque, the center reaches at least 63°C, and the small bones are tender.
- 5Finish
When the broth has seasoned the burdock and tofu and the loaches have reached the desired tenderness, turn off the heat.
Divide fish, burdock, tofu, onion, and broth evenly among four bowls and serve hot.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Cleaned loaches are contained in a deep lidded vessel while sake is poured along the edge.
- Finish cue
- Add the tofu and onion, keep the loaches below the broth, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the flesh is opaque, the center reaches at least 63°C, and the small bones are tender.
- Avoid this
- Do not eat freshwater loach raw.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official food safety guidance.
This recipe
55min, 9 ingredients
Category median
48min, 8 ingredients
Based on 200 recipes
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