Umeboshi [1] paste adds a delightful piquancy to this healthy vegetable dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
10cm piece of kombu [2]
250ml of water
1 tablespoon umeboshi paste
1 tablespoon mirin [3]
half a head of Chinese cabbage
1 red pepper
20 snow peas OR mange tout
50g dried lotus root [4], soaked for 2 hours
3-4 spring onions, cut into 2cm lengths
10g kuzu [5], ground in a suribachi*

Method:
1. Put the kombu and water in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, uncovered, over a medium heat, then simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove the kombu and keep it to use another time. Add the umeboshi and mirin to this kombu stock and mix well, leaving it ready for later.

2. Next, cut the Chinese cabbage in half again lengthwise, then core it and slice the leaves crosswise into 2cm wide strips. The core can be used if very thinly sliced. Quarter the red pepper, remove and discard seeds and inner white membranes, then thinly slice on the diagonal. Top and tail the snow peas or mange tout, removing any stringy bits.

3. Heat the oil over a medium heat in a wok or big frying pan. Drain the lotus root and sauté it briefly. Add the red pepper, then the Chinese cabbage, then the spring onions, sautéing for one minute after each vegetable is added. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the snow peas or mange tout, toss, cover and cook for one more minute. Uncover and remove from the heat.

4. Dissolve the kuzu in 30ml cold water and add to the kombu stock. Pour the stock over the vegetables and bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring gently. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Serve as a vegetable dish on its own, or as a topping for noodles.

*Japanese pestle & mortar.