shabu-shabu

Shabu-shabu is a one-pot dish which is cooked at the table, and everybody eats from the pot. Thin slices of meat are dipped into the boiling broth and taken out quickly and then dipped into a ponzu soy sauce or a sesame sauce. Tofu and vegetables are simmered in the pot for a longer time and dipped into one of the sauces when done.

• u.s.
• metric

ingredients:

• 14 ounces thinly sliced beef or pork
• 1 block tofu
• 7 ounces napa cabbage
• (Chinese cabbage)
• 1 long green onion or leek
• 4 shiitake mushrooms
• 4 in. dried sea tangle
• 5 cups water
• You can also add your favorite ingredients (e.g., carrot, mushroom, konnyaku, cooked thick white noodles (udon), instant noodles).

step 1:

Cut the tofu block in half lengthwise, then cut each half across 3 times. Finally, place the knife halfway down the side of the block and slice across to form 16 bite-size pieces.

step 2:

Cut the napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage) into bite–sized pieces.

step 3:

Slice the green onion (or leek) diagonally into 2 in. pieces.

step 4:

Wipe shiitake mushrooms with a wet paper towel. Cut off the stems.

step 5:

Arrange the meat, tofu, vegetables and shiitake mushrooms attractively in separate rows on one or more large platters.

step 6:

Refer to “How to Eat Shabu-Shabu” for cooking details.

Dipping sauces

We prepared two types of dipping sauce for shabu-shabu. One is a ponzu soy sauce. The other is a sesame sauce. Both are commonly used in Japan and can be bought at Japanese food stores.

• u.s.
• metric

• Ponzu Soy Sauce

ingredients:

• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar or freshly squeezed or bottled lemon juice (or yuzu juice)
• 2 tablespoons sugar

step 1:

Mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar (lemon or yuzu juice) and sugar.

step 2:

Pour into separate serving dishes.

• Sesame Sauce

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sesame paste
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar or freshly squeezed or bottled lemon juice (or yuzu juice)
• 1/3 cup bonito soup stock or water

step 1:

Mix the sesame paste, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar (lemon or yuzu juice) and bonito soup stock (or water).

step 2:

Pour into separate serving dishes.