Sakura Nabe with zebra

Introduction

Sakura Nabe is traditionally made with horse meat, but zebra behaves in a similar way in the pan: lean, dark, and best when it gets only a very short kiss of heat. That makes this a good sort of nerdy dinner, with miso underneath, vegetables that get a little color first, and the meat cooked right at the end.

This is also a meal where timing matters more than complexity. If the noodles are ready, the eggs still have a soft yolk, and the broth is hot, the zebra only needs seconds per side before dinner is on the table.

Step-by-step

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 600 g zebra fillet or other tender zebra meat (1.3 lb)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• Finely grated zest and 2 tbsp juice from 0.5 lemon
• 2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
• 0.5 red chili, finely chopped
• 250 g prepared miso base or 4 tbsp miso paste (9 oz)
• 1.2 l water or light stock (5 cups)
• 0.25 cabbage, cut into rough strips
• 1 leek, sliced
• 150 g shimeji mushrooms (5 oz)
• 200 g oyster mushrooms (7 oz), torn into pieces
• 200 g wheat noodles (7 oz)
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp neutral oil for the cabbage
• 1 tbsp neutral oil for the leek
• 1 tbsp neutral oil for the mushrooms
• 1 tbsp neutral oil for the meat
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 to 2 tsp extra soy sauce, to taste

Method

1. Portion the meat so you end up with about 600 g (1.3 lb) for this hot pot. Mix the soy sauce, lemon zest, lemon juice, rosemary, and chili in a bowl. Toss the meat in the marinade and leave it for 20 to 30 minutes while you prepare the rest.
2. Stir the prepared miso into the water or light stock in a pot. If using miso paste, whisk it in until the broth is smooth and pleasantly salty. Heat gently without boiling hard.
3. Heat a large frying pan with 1 tbsp neutral oil. Sear the cabbage over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until it picks up some color around the edges. Transfer it to the miso pot to finish there.
4. Cook the leek in the same pan with a little more oil for 1 to 2 minutes until it softens and sweetens slightly. Set it aside.
5. Cook the shimeji and oyster mushrooms over high heat with the last of the oil until they shed some moisture and take on color, 3 to 4 minutes. Set them aside as well.
6. Boil the noodles according to the package. Cook the eggs at the same time for 6.5 to 7 minutes, rinse them cold, and peel carefully so the yolks stay soft.
7. Lift the meat from the marinade and pat it lightly dry. Slice it very thinly. Season with salt, black pepper, and a small splash of soy sauce.
8. Heat the pan again with 1 tbsp oil. Sear the meat in a thin layer, 10 to 20 seconds per side for very thin slices and up to 1 minute for slightly thicker ones. Work in small batches so the meat colors instead of steaming.
9. Taste the miso broth and adjust if needed. Divide the noodles between bowls, ladle over the cabbage and hot broth, and finish with the leek, mushrooms, meat, and one halved egg in each bowl.

Serving note

• Zebra is very lean, so it dries out quickly if you treat it like beef for a stir-fry or long simmer. Thin slicing and short cooking are the entire trick here.
• If you cannot get Japanese leek, regular leek works perfectly well as long as it only gets a quick turn in the pan.
• Serve with pickled ginger and extra soy sauce on the side for dipping.
• If you want a slightly richer finish, add a few drops of sesame oil in each bowl, but it is optional. The miso, mushrooms, and meat already do most of the work.