Mizutaki
Undoubtedly the most popular of all Japanese dishes in America is sukiyaki. Equally delicious in it own way is a simmered chicken dish known as mizutaki. To prepare it, uncooked chicken is cut into bite-size pieces and simmered in chicken stock. Vegetables are added and everything is served piping hot with chopsticks and a soy and lemon sauce. A word of warning: The dish must be eaten with chopsticks or it loses character.
1 (3 lb) broiler-fryer chicken
Chicken stock or water to cover
Salt to taste
6 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thin
1 bunch watercress, trimmed
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup light soy sauce
¼ cup Japanese wine (sake)
Have butcher divide chicken in half and cut or chop both halves into 1-1/2 inch cubes with bones.
Place pieces in heavy saucepan and cover with chicken stock or water. Add a little salt and simmer gently, uncovered, 45 minutes after boiling point is reached.
Bring to the table in the cooking utensil and place over a charcoal or alcohol burner so that the liquid barely boils.
When guests are seated, commence adding the vegetables to the simmering broth, a few at a time. To serve, spoon a few portions of the meat and barely cooked vegetables into small serving bowls. Using chopsticks, guests dip bite-size pieces of chicken into a sauce made by combining the lemon juice, soy sauce and sake.
2 to 4 servings.
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