Name: Sumo Wrestler’s Stew (Chankonabe)
Yield: Serves 4–6
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1½ pounds cod fillet, cut into 2-inch chunks; shrimp, peeled and deveined; and/or shucked oysters; Goma dare; 2 leeks, white part only, halved lengthwise and cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick pieces; 6 ounces thick-cut sliced bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces; 4–6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps quartered or white mushrooms, stems trimmed and caps quartered; 6 cups chicken broth; ¼ cup sake; ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon mirin; 2 tablespoons ginger juice; 1½ teaspoons crushed garlic; ½ cup miso, preferably white; 4–6 cups cooked udon noodles (1 cup per person), or 2–3 cups cooked rice (see Gohan; ½ cup per person); ½ head Napa cabbage, leaves separated and large leaves halved; Ponzu sauce; Ground chicken mixture (see tsukune), shaped into 1-inch balls; 1 package (14 ounces) medium tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes; 6 green onions, including tender green tops, cut into 2-inch lengths; 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat and meat and cut into bite-sized pieces

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Let's Cook Japanese Food!

By Amy Kaneko

Published 2017

About

Chankonabe is just one of many variations on nabemono (one-pot dishes). It is traditionally eaten by sumo wrestlers as a way to put on the amount of weight they need for their sport. Don’t be afraid that you will turn into a sumo wrestler if you eat this stew, however.

The wrestlers eat much bigger portions—so big that they typically take a nap immediately after they leave the table, which helps them pack on the pounds. Dipping sauces are often provided, with ponzu (a