Beef Shabu Shabu Recipes

SHABU SHABU

Steps:

• Put the water in a pan and add the dried seaweed. Simmer over a medium heat for about 10 minutes. Pull out the kombu when the water starts to boil. To enhance the flavour you can add some dried bonito flakes 5 minutes before taking the kombu out. It is important not to let the water and kombu boil. Strain the broth, discarding the kombu and bonito flakes.
• Place the beef between 2 sheets of cling film and bash with the back of a knife until it is very thin. Slice the beef into thin strips and place on a serving plate.
• Bring the broth to the boil. Add the shiitake mushrooms, followed by the enoki mushrooms, then the tofu and finally the watercress. Serve this pan of boiling broth at the table immediately and get your guests to cook their beef by dipping it in the broth with chopsticks.
• Give each guest a bowl of rice and a bowl for their broth, and a small dish of the ponzu dipping sauce. Don't forget the sake or Japanese beer.

SHABU SHABU

Steps:

• Arrange beef on a platter; spinach, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, cabbage, and onions on another platter; and tofu on a third platter or with the vegetables.
• Combine soy sauce, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup chicken broth in a bowl; portion dipping sauce into 6 very small bowls.
• Pour remaining broth into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Transfer hot broth to a fondue pot.
• Serve with chopsticks or forks. Individuals cook their own portions of meat, vegetables, and tofu in the boiling broth, then dip in dipping sauce and eat.

SHABU SHABU WITH DIPPING SAUCES

Steps:

• Arrange the meat attractively on a round platter, so that each slice can be easily picked up with chopsticks or a fondue fork. Arrange vegetables on a second platter.
• Fill a hot pot or nabe pot 2/3 full of dashi set on a burner on the table. Each diner picks up a piece of meat from the serving platter and swishes it around in the simmering broth until the red meat becomes pink, or cooked to the degree desired. Diners may alternate between meat and vegetables. The tofu breaks easily, so be careful when adding it to the pot. Diners eat from the pot, dipping the food into the dipping sauces which are placed in individual cups at each person's place.
• Combine the water and kelp in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil, removing the kelp just before water boils since it emits a strong odor. If the fleshiest part of the kelp is still tough, return it to the water for a few more minutes, along with a little cold water. (Soft kelp means sufficient flavor has been extracted.) Remove the kelp and bring stock to a full boil.
• Add 1/4 cup cold water to bring the temperature down quickly and add the bonito flakes. Bring to a boil, and then immediately remove from the heat. (If bonito flakes boil too long, the stock becomes bitter.) Allow the flakes to settle to the bottom of the pan, then filter the stock through cheesecloth. Yield: About 2 quarts
• Combine the dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes to reduce by 1/3, then remove from heat and cool. Stir in vinegar to taste. Pour sauce into individual cups.
• Toast the sesame seeds in a heavy pan until lightly browned. Transfer warm seeds to a mortar and grind to a paste, or whirl in a blender. Add the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sugar and sake, and mix well, using a spatula to blend and smooth the sauce. Add cayenne to taste. Pour sauce into individual cups.

BEEF AND VEGGIE SHABU SHABU

Steps:

• Fill an electric wok or fondue pot two-thirds full of broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile arrange beef slices, mushrooms, green onion pieces, cabbage, spinach and tofu on a platter and place at the table. Set out sauces in small bowls.
• Place pieces of mushroom, green onion pieces and cabbage on skewers or forks. Cook in broth 1 to 2 minutes. Add meat, spinach and tofu. Cook 2 more minutes. Remove from broth and dip in desired sauce before eating.
• When diners have had their fill of meat and vegetables, add noodles to broth and heat through. Sprinkle with chopped green onions. Ladle noodles and broth into soup bowls.

BEEF SHABU-SHABU

Steps:

• Place kombu on the bottom of a shallow 3 1/2-quart enameled cast-iron pot. Place harusame over kombu and top with tofu, cabbage, negi, and enoki and shiitake mushrooms, arranging each in a separate bunch in the pot. Add 8 cups of water and season with salt.
• Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat on a portable burner set on a dining table. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, arrange meat, spinach, and sesame sauce on a serving platter. Uncover pot and add some of the meat slices, arranging in a single layer over other ingredients. Poach until rare or medium rare, 15 to 30 seconds. Dip into sesame sauce before eating. Add spinach and cook for 1 minute before eating. Continue cooking meat and spinach, adding more water as needed. Other ingredients in pot may also be eaten; dip in sesame sauce before eating.