Bamboo Shoot & Chicken Sansho Leaf Miso-Ae
In spring, a beautiful harmony unfolds across the Setouchi region as sturdy, mildly earthy-tasting bamboo shoots break through the soil, coinciding with the appearance of frilly, enchantingly fragrant leaves on sansho bushes, an ancient type of citrus plant known for the peppery taste of its berries. This seasonal synchronicity has inspired an iconic aemono dish, where the sansho leaves, called kinome, are combined with white miso to create an exquisite, mildly sweet, salty, and savory paste with floral citrus notes that is dressed on slices of boiled bamboo shoots. This delicacy is most commonly served simply like this or, like all versatile aemono dishes, it can be augmented with the addition of other ingredients. Subtle, refined flavors such as poached chicken, as used in this recipe, thinly sliced pieces of raw or cooked seafood, or vegetables like asparagus perfectly complement the dish, creating a culinary experience that captures the refreshing essence of spring in every bite.
Bamboo Shoot & Chicken Sansho Leaf Miso-Ae
Takenoko to Tori-Niku no Kinome Miso-Ae : たけのこと鶏肉の木の芽みそあえ
Serves 4
Main Foods
Boiled Bamboo Shoots, 1/4 lb. (112 g)
“Salad” Chicken or Other Kind of Poached Chicken, 1/4 lb. (112 g)
Sansho Leaf Miso Paste
Dashi Stock, 1 teaspoon — See Note
Mirin, 1/2 teaspoon
Sea Salt, a pinch
White Miso, 3 tablespoons
Sansho (Kinome) Leaves, a small handful
Directions
Rinse and gently pat dry the sansho leaves with a paper towel. Separate them from the stems. If you’re working with large branches of sansho, be careful of their spiky thorns. Set aside a few leaves to garnish the dish. Either mince the remaining leaves or pound them in a mortar, adding the white miso, dashi stock, mirin, and sea salt to create a smooth paste.
Slice the boiled bamboo shoots into bite-sized pieces and shred the poached chicken. Chill all of the ingredients until ready to use. The sansho leaf miso paste will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator.
Serve
When ready to serve assemble the dish. Arrange the bamboo shoot slices and shredded chicken side by side with the sansho leaf miso topped on the middle, in the traditional Japanese serving manner, or mix everything up. Garnish with additional sansho leaves and serve immediately. Enjoy as a side dish.
Note
You can use any kind of stock, including konbu dashi, katsuo- or iriko-konbu dashi, the chicken poaching liquid, or a vegetable stock. You can also use sake or water.
Variations
Any number or kind of ingredients can be added to this dish to complement the flavors and textures of the bamboo shoots and sansho leaf miso. Sashimi-grade raw scallops can be a delicious addition, as their sweet and tender texture pairs well with the earthy bamboo shoots and the savory, citrusy miso paste. To add raw scallops to this dish, follow these steps: Rinse the scallops under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Remove the side muscle if it's still attached. Slice the scallops into thin, bite-sized pieces.
Other ingredients that work well in this dish include leftover pieces of roast chicken, thinly sliced sashimi-grade raw or cooked sea bream or other mild-tasting yet firm fish like sea bass, cooked shrimp, tofu, and blanched asparagus and snap peas.
While sansho leaves have a unique flavor, you can try substituting them with watercress leaves, grated wasabi or the greens of the wasabi plant called wasabina, or the green ends of scallions. Feel free to get creative and experiment with different ingredients to create your own unique version of this refreshing springtime dish.