March 20, 2020

Instant Pot Nimono Recipe

Today I want to teach you how to make Nimono (Japanese simmered dish) using an Instant Pot. My wife often makes this nimono recipe and it tastes amazing. It is also healthy, depending upon what you put into it…

The ni part of nimono (煮) means to stew or simmer. The mono part (物) of nimono means things. So you are literally simmering things! My wife often puts carrots, konnyaku, and chicken into the simmered dish. Sometimes she also adds burdock and Chinese radishes. Since we recently got an Instant Pot, we wanted to show you how to cook nimono easily using an Instant Pot or similar. You can also cook this on the stove top if you don’t have an Instant Pot available.

Seasonings for Instant Pot Nimono

The base for this simmered dish is generally dashi and water. The stock can be furthered flavored using mirin, cooking alcohol, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. The vegetables and chicken are infused with the flavors during the simmering process. This Instant Pot nimono recipe decreasing the necessary cooking time during the simmering process by using higher pressure and heat.

Tips for Nimono Recipe

It is worth cooking nimono in larger quantities because as the vegetables and meat soak in the stock, the flavor infuses into them. It can be stored for several days in the refrigerator at home.
While we didn’t use any garnish, adding snow peas or other green garnish can make your final dish pop and look more appetizing.
Rounding the edges of the Chinese radish is important to ensure that they doesn’t fall apart.
Adding the sesame oil last after simmering the vegetables and meat enhances the aromatics of the stock.
Nimono is soup-like in regions such as Kyoto and Osaka while nimono is cooked very very little and strongly seasoned in Tokyo. Nimono can be enjoyed various ways!

Nimono (Japanese Simmered Dish)

Nimono is a classic Japanese dish that can easily be made at home. A variety of vegetables and meat will be slowly simmered to add flavor. Any type of vegetables can be used except leafy vegetables.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 15

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

0.5 Burdock
0.5 Carrot
1 Chinese radish
0.5 Konnyaku
1 Chicken thigh
9 ml Vinegar
4.5 tbsp Mirin
4.5 tbsp Cooking alcohol
4.5 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tsp Sugar
15 ml Sesame oil
300 ml Water
100 ml Dashi

Instructions

Peel and cut the burdock into bite-sized pieces
Peel and cut the carrot into bite-sized pieces
Peel the Chinese radish and cut into bite-sized pieces. Round the edges of the radish to prevent it from falling apart.
Cut the konnyaku into bite-sized pieces. Optional: twist into cute shape as shown in video.
Cut chicken thigh into bite-sized pieces.
Add burdock into a bowl and cover with water. Add 9 ml of vinegar into the bowl.
Add hot water to the konnyaku and leave for about 5 minutes to remove the smell.
Add 10 mL of sesame oil to a frying pan and add the chicken, carrots, and drained burdock. Add the chinese radish and fry everything on medium heat.
Once the vegetables and chicken are browned, turn off the stove, and transfer into an instant pot (shorter cooking time) or transfer into a large stove pot.
Drain water from the konnyaku and pat dry. Add the konnyaku to the pot.
Add 300 ml of water to the pot.
Add 100 ml of dashi to the pot.
Add the cooking alcohol, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce to the pot. Mix well.
If using an instant pot, close the lid and cook on high heat for 35 minutes.
If using a stove top pot with a lid, simmer on low heat for about 1 hour.
After simmering, add 5 ml of sesame oil to complete the flavor.