Kiritanpo Nabe (Akita-Style Grilled Rice Stick Hot Pot)
Kiritanpo nabe is a rustic hot pot from Akita Prefecture in northern Japan, built around grilled mashed-rice sticks simmered in chicken broth. Freshly cooked rice is pounded until partially smooth, then wrapped around cedar skewers and toasted over charcoal until the surface develops a light char and a nutty fragrance. The broth begins with bone-in chicken thighs, seasoned simply with soy sauce and mirin, then loaded with burdock root, scallions, mushrooms, and Japanese parsley. The kiritanpo sticks are cut into segments and added to the simmering pot, where they absorb the rich broth and soften into a chewy, dumpling-like texture while still holding their shape. Akita's harsh winters made this a survival dish - calorie-dense, warming, and built entirely from ingredients available in the mountainous countryside. The faint smokiness from the charcoal grilling carries through to the finished soup.
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Instructions
- 1
Pound warm rice until sticky and cohesive.
- 2
Shape rice into logs and press onto skewers.
- 3
Grill until lightly browned to make kiritanpo.
- 4
Bring stock, soy sauce, mirin, and salt to a boil.
- 5
Add chicken and burdock first, simmer for 10 minutes.
- 6
Add grilled kiritanpo and scallion, simmer 5 more minutes.
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