Simmered Butterbur- Japanese home cooking class in Tokyo

Simmered Butterbur (Fuki no Nimono) is a traditional Japanese side dish made with "fuki," a spring mountain vegetable. This dish highlights the fresh aroma and crisp texture unique to fuki, gently simmered with dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and other seasonings. For extra depth of flavor, it’s popular to add ingredients like aburaage (fried tofu) or satsuma-age (fried fish cakes).

Japanese traditional side dish- Japanese home cooking class in Tokyo

Basic Ingredients for Simmered Butterbur (Serves 2–3):

• Boiled fuki (butterbur stalks): 200g

• Dried red chili pepper: 1

• Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon

• Salad oil or rice bran oil (or oil of your choice): 2 teaspoons

• Dashi stock: 150ml

• Sugar: 1/2 tablespoon

• Soy sauce (preferably light soy sauce): 1 1/2 tablespoons

• Mirin: 1 1/2 tablespoons

• Sake: 1 1/2 tablespoons

  Preparation Tips

  • Cut the fuki (Japanese butterbur) into lengths that will fit into your pot, sprinkle with salt, and roll it on a board to rub in the salt (itazuri).

  • Boil in rapidly boiling water for 3–5 minutes, then transfer to cold water.

  • Peel off the tough outer strings from both ends, then cut into pieces about 5 cm long.

  Basic Recipe (Stir-Fried and Simmered Fuki)

  • Drain the prepared fuki and cut into pieces about 4–5 cm wide.

  • Heat sesame oil and vegetable oil in a pot, add the fuki and dried red chili pepper, and quickly stir-fry.

  • Add dashi stock, sugar, soy sauce, mirin, and sake. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.

  • When most of the liquid has evaporated, remove from heat. It’s ready to serve.

  This dish has a gentle flavor, making it perfect as a side dish for Japanese meals, for lunch boxes, or as a snack with drinks.

  It keeps well in the refrigerator for about 3–4 days, so it’s great for meal prepping.

Butterbur harvested in Setagaya, Tokyo- Japanese cooking class in Tokyo

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