Duruwakashi
ドゥルワカシー·(doo-roo-wah-kah-shee)
Obaa's Pot on the Stove: Slow-Simmered Weekend Comforts
If there is one dish that separates casual fans of Okinawan food from those who actually grew up in the diaspora, it’s duruwakashi. The name translates to "boiling mud"—a nod to its thick, bubbling, rustic appearance in the pot—but the flavor is pure, unadulterated elegance built on a ruthless calculation of umami. Traditionally made with island water taro that you'll never find in an Ohio suburb, it works flawlessly with Japanese satoimo, provided you have the patience to rhythmically mash the roots in a rich, lard-laced pork and shiitake broth. It’s the ultimate slow-simmered weekend project, demanding time and respect, but paying dividends out of the fridge on a Tuesday night.
Before you start
Soak the dried shiitake overnight in the refrigerator in a bowl with 1 1/4 cups of cold water.
This slow extraction pulls maximum guanylic acid for the umami base; once hydrated, squeeze the mushrooms dry, finely dice the caps, and reserve 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid.
Simmer the pork belly in a medium pot covered with water for 45 minutes until tender.
Let the pork cool before cutting it into 1/4-inch cubes, and reserve 1 cup of the boiling liquid with the fat skimmed off to use as a quick pork dashi.
Rehydrate the dried imogara in water for 20 minutes, then peel away any stringy outer fibers.
Boil the peeled stems for 5 minutes in fresh water to remove their astringency, then squeeze them completely dry and chop into 1-inch pieces.
Boil the peeled and sliced satoimo for 10 minutes until a fork easily pierces them.
Drain the taro well; boiling breaks down the naturally occurring oxalates that can cause throat irritation.
Ingredients
- satoimo1 lb
- dried imogara1 oz
- pork belly block1/2 lb
- dried shiitake mushrooms4 med
- lard1 tbsp
- sweet white miso3 tbsp
- sea salt1/2 tsp
- castella kamaboko2 oz
Method
- 01
Heat the lard over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.
Add the diced pork belly and sauté until the fat begins to render and glisten.
- 02
Toss the diced shiitake, chopped imogara, and boiled satoimo into the pot.
Stir everything well to coat the starches in the rich pork fat before adding any liquid.
- 03
Pour in the reserved cup of pork broth and the shiitake soaking liquid, bringing the pot to a gentle simmer.
- 04
Aggressively mash the softening taro against the sides of the pot using a sturdy wooden spoon.
Do not use a food processor; over the next 10 to 15 minutes, the rhythmic mashing as the broth reduces will force the taro to break down into a thick, sticky paste that bubbles exactly like mud.
- 05
Loosen the white miso with a spoonful of hot water, then stir it into the paste along with the sea salt.
- 06
Fold in the diced kamaboko and cook for two more minutes.
The mixture is finished when it is thick enough to pull slightly away from the edges of the pot.
Notes
Transform the chilled leftovers into duru-ten for an incredible weeknight shortcut.
Okinawan grandmas waste nothing; on a busy Tuesday, roll the cold, stiffened leftovers into golf-ball-sized ovals, dust them lightly in potato starch or panko, and shallow fry in neutral oil at 340°F until golden brown. The outside becomes impossibly crispy while the inside turns molten and rich.
From Cook Okinawan in America.