Kabocha Pumpkin Hot Pot Recipe

• 8 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms
• 5 cups water
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 2 (6-inch) pieces kombu
• 1/2 kabocha pumpkin (about 1 pound), seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 ounces daikon, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 3 small taro roots (about 1/2 pound), peeled and quartered lengthwise (cut quarters in half if more than 2 inches long)
• 1 medium carrot (about 4 ounces), peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 negi (Japanese onion) sliced on an angle into 2-inch pieces
• 4 ounces napa cabbage, sliced
• 3 1/2 ounces (100-gram package)
• mushrooms, trimmed and pulled apart
• 1 pound (2 blocks) frozen, precooked udon noodles, or 8 ounces dried
• , for accent

1. When the mushroom stock is ready, drain the liquid and reserve both the stock and the reconstituted shiitake mushrooms. Remove and discard the mushroom stems and halve the caps. Set aside.
2. Prepare the broth by combining the reserved mushroom stock, soy, and mirin in a bowl.
3. Place the kombu on the bottom of a hot pot and pile the pumpkin, daikon, taro, carrot, negi, cabbage, shimeji mushrooms, and reserved shiitake mushrooms over it. Pour in the broth.
4. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover the pot and add the udon noodles. Simmer until the noodles are tender, about 10 minutes more.
5. Transfer the hot pot to the dining table. Serve the ingredients together with the broth, accenting with shichimi togarashi.

shiitake mushrooms, water, soy sauce, mirin, kombu, pumpkin, daikon, taro roots, carrot, onion, cabbage, mushrooms, frozen, accent

Taken from www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/09/kabocha-pumpkin-hot-pot-recipe.html (may not work)