Japanese Hot Pot: Cabbage Chicken Balls & Grated Daikon

This warming Japanese hot pot is one of my favorite ways to nourish the body—especially when digestion feels sluggish or I want to boost my immune system. The soft cabbage chicken balls provide high-quality protein in an easy-to-digest form, while the broth is enriched with grated daikon, carrot, and ginger—classic Japanese ingredients known for their healing properties.

Grated daikon radish is more than just a traditional garnish. It is rich in vitamin C, folate, and digestive enzymes like amylase, diastase, and esterase. These enzymes help support healthy digestion, especially after a heavy meal. It also contains isothiocyanates, natural compounds with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits. Together with carrot, ginger, and mushrooms, this hot pot is a soothing meal that warms you from the inside out.

Japanese Hot Pot: Cabbage Chicken Balls & Grated Daikon

Ingredients:

<Servings: 4-5>

For the broth:

10–15 cm kombu kelp (or use 5 cups of your favorite soup stock)

5 cups water

1 cup grated daikon radish

1/2 cup grated carrot

1 tsp grated ginger

1–2 green onions (use both white and green parts, sliced)

1 cup shimeji/beech mushrooms (or substitute your favorite variety)

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sake

1 tsp salt

For the cabbage chicken balls:

1/4 cabbage, finely chopped

300g (10–11 oz) ground chicken

1 large egg

1 tbsp potato starch (or cornstarch or arrowroot)

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sake

Toppings (optional):

Yuzu zest or juice

Shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice)

Instructions:

1. Grate the daikon, carrot, and ginger. Slice green onions. Chop cabbage. Clean mushrooms with a cloth or paper towel.

Japanese Hot Pot: Cabbage Chicken Balls & Grated Daikon

2. In a bowl, combine ground chicken, egg, salt, sake, and starch. Mix well, then stir in chopped cabbage.

Japanese Hot Pot: Cabbage Chicken Balls & Grated Daikon

3. Make the broth. In a large pot, add water and kombu kelp. Bring to a gentle boil, simmer for 8–10 minutes, then remove the kelp. Add green onions and mushrooms, simmer for 5 minutes.

   
   

4. Scoop chicken mixture into small balls and drop into the simmering broth. Add soy sauce (1 tbsp), salt, and sake. Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

   
   

5. Add the grated daikon, carrot, and ginger. Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp soy sauce and cook for 1–2 more minutes.

6. Ladle into bowls and top with yuzu zest or shichimi togarashi for extra flavor and warmth.

   
   

Posted on December 17th, 2018