Shabu Shabu
A warming Japanese hot pot where paper-thin slices of beef and fresh vegetables are swished through a fragrant kombu broth right at the table. This shabu shabu recipe brings everyone together around the pot for a meal that is as much about the experience as it is the food.
Equipment
- Large pot or donabe (clay pot)
- Portable burner or hot plate
- Chopsticks or small strainer
- Individual dipping bowls
- Sharp knife or mandoline
Ingredients
Broth
- 8 cup water
- 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) about 4x6 inches
- 2 tbsp sake optional
Meat
- 1.5 lb beef sirloin or ribeye sliced paper-thin, partially frozen for easier slicing
Vegetables and Additions
- 8 oz napa cabbage cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 bunch chrysanthemum greens (shungiku) trimmed, or substitute baby spinach
- 8 oz enoki mushrooms root ends trimmed
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms stems removed, caps sliced
- 1 block firm tofu about 14 oz, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 oz glass noodles (harusame) soaked in warm water 5 minutes and drained
- 2 green onions cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 medium carrot peeled and sliced thin on the diagonal
Ponzu Dipping Sauce
- 0.5 cup soy sauce
- 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice or yuzu juice
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp dashi granules dissolved in 2 tbsp warm water
Sesame Dipping Sauce (Gomadare)
- 0.33 cup tahini or ground sesame paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp warm water to thin
Condiments
- 2 tbsp grated daikon radish
- 1 tbsp finely chopped green onion
- 1 tsp shichimi togarashi Japanese seven-spice blend
Instructions
Prepare the Broth
- Place the kombu in a large pot with 8 cups of cold water. Let it soak for at least 30 minutes, or up to several hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.
- Set the pot over medium heat and bring it slowly to just below a boil. Watch for small bubbles forming around the edges and the kombu beginning to float. Remove the kombu just before the water reaches a full boil. Add the sake if using.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Arrange the thinly sliced beef on a platter in a single layer so each piece is easy to pick up. If your beef is not pre-sliced, partially freeze it for about 45 minutes so you can slice it as thin as possible with a sharp knife.
- Arrange all vegetables, tofu, mushrooms, and drained glass noodles on a large platter or several smaller plates. Group similar items together for easy access at the table.
Make the Dipping Sauces
- For the ponzu sauce, whisk together the soy sauce, lemon juice, rice vinegar, mirin, and dissolved dashi granules in a small bowl. Divide among individual dipping bowls.
- For the sesame dipping sauce, stir together the tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, and sugar until smooth. Add warm water a little at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency. Divide among individual dipping bowls.
Cook at the Table
- Transfer the kombu broth to a portable burner set in the center of the table. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer — you want steady, small bubbles, not a rolling boil.
- Add the harder vegetables first — carrot slices and napa cabbage stems — and let them cook for 2-3 minutes to begin softening and flavoring the broth.
- Each person uses chopsticks to swish a slice of beef through the simmering broth for 10-15 seconds, until it just changes color and is still slightly pink. Dip immediately into your preferred sauce and eat.
- Continue cooking vegetables, tofu, mushrooms, and noodles in the broth as you go. Leafy greens and enoki mushrooms cook in about 30 seconds. Tofu and shiitake need 1-2 minutes. Skim any foam from the surface as needed.
- When the meat and vegetables are finished, ladle the now richly flavored broth into bowls as a finishing soup. Season with a splash of ponzu if desired. Some cooks add cooked rice or udon noodles to the remaining broth for a final course.
Nutrition
Calories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 42gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1280mgPotassium: 890mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 3200IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 185mgIron: 5mg
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