45mDungeon Meshi (Delicious in Dungeon)
Roast Basilisk (Oven-Baked Chicken Katsu)
Comfort Food Mains · Easy
Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom Hotpot
- Prep
- 30m
- Cook
- 40m
- Total
- 1h 10m
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
The Scene Reference labels this pot 大サソリと歩き茸の水炊き — Giant Scorpion and Walking Mushroom Mizutaki. Senshi poaches dungeon monsters in clear broth over a stone hearth while the party watches the broth bubble. This is that bowl, rebuilt with supermarket substitutes that match what you see on screen.
Huge scorpion becomes lobster tail cut into thick red-edged segments. Walking mushroom is king oyster sliced into slabs. Mushroom feet are whole shiitake caps scored with an X. Invertatoes are a modest handful of chunked potatoes — not half the pot — so lobster and mushrooms can simmer in a standard donabe without overflowing.
Mizutaki means water-boiled — no miso, just kombu dashi and gentle poaching. About 30 minutes prep and 40 minutes at the table. Mix a generous batch of quick ponzu (soy, mirin, lemon) for dipping every bite — Senshi-style.
Ingredients
Recipe ingredients
- Lobster TailKey2 tails (~340 g meat)
huge scorpion substitute
- 2 large
- 2 caps
- 1 strip (~6 in / 15 cm)
- 2 tbsp dried
- 1 block (~250 g)
- Japanese Dark Soy Sauce (Koikuchi)6 tbsp
ponzu dip (4 servings)
- Hon-Mirin (True Mirin)2 tbsp
ponzu dip
Pantry staples
Salt, oil, butter, and other basics you likely already have — scaled with servings above.
- Water · mizutaki broth6 cups
- Potatoes · invertatoes; peeled and cut in large chunks3 medium
- Lemon · fresh juice for ponzu (or rice vinegar)2 tbsp
Shop ingredients & tools
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Instructions
- 1
Make kombu dashi
Add 6 cups water and 1 strip kombu (6 in / 15 cm) to the donabe. Soak 30 minutes, then heat over medium until small bubbles appear at the edges — about 190°F (88°C). Do not boil hard. Remove kombu and keep broth hot.
- 2
Prep the huge scorpion
Split 2 lobster tails lengthwise through the shell. Cut each half into 2–3 thick segments so they resemble the scorpion pieces in the anime — meaty, with shell for presentation if you like.
- 3
Prep walking mushroom and mushroom feet
Slice 2 large king oyster mushrooms into ½-inch-thick rectangles. Trim 2 shiitake caps; score a deep X on each cap to mimic mushroom feet.
- 4
Prep invertatoes and slime
Peel 3 medium potatoes and cut into large even chunks — enough for four as a side, not half the pot. Slice 1 block konnyaku into bite-size strips or triangles. Rinse konnyaku, then parboil 2 minutes and drain — this stands in for star jelly and dried slime.
- 5
Hydrate seaweed
Soak 2 tbsp dried wakame in warm water 5 minutes until ruffled and tender — this covers seaweed and arctic moss in one garnish.
- 6
Build the hotpot
Arrange potatoes, king oyster, shiitake, and konnyaku in the donabe. Pour hot kombu dashi over — liquid should nearly cover the solids.
- 7
Simmer the pot
Cover and simmer gently 15–20 minutes until potatoes are nearly tender. Keep broth at a gentle bubble, not a rolling boil.
- 8
Add lobster and wakame
Nest lobster segments and drained wakame on top. Simmer 5–7 minutes more until lobster is opaque and cooked through.
- 9
Mix ponzu dip
While the pot simmers, stir 6 tbsp Japanese dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp hon-mirin, and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (see pantry — rice vinegar works in a pinch). You want about 150 ml total for four people dipping potato, konnyaku, mushroom, and lobster. Or use bottled ponzu and pour generously.
- 10
Serve from the hearth
Transfer the donabe to the table. Each person dips lobster, mushroom, potato, and konnyaku in ponzu before eating — communal dungeon meal complete.
Pro tips
Rinse konnyaku and parboil 2 minutes to remove odor before adding to the pot. Score shiitake caps deeply so they cook through and look like mushroom feet. Add lobster last — it overcooks fast. Keep the broth at a shiver, not a rolling boil, so the surface stays clear like the anime frame. Double the ponzu recipe for four dippers — plain soy and mirin without acid tastes flat.
Storage & leftovers
Best eaten immediately from the pot. Broth and solids keep 1 day refrigerated — reheat gently; lobster will tighten but remains fine.
What to serve with
Steamed rice and extra ponzu. Finish with zosui — rice stirred into leftover broth — if you want a classic nabe ending.
Equipment
All kitchen equipment guidesFAQ
Lobster tail (or king crab legs). The anime segments are thick shellfish pieces with white meat and a red edge — lobster is the closest match you can poach at home.
