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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
It would be wonderful to enjoy a hot, delicious, and nutritious hot pot in Japanese style right at home! Today, let’s join TasteVN into the kitchen and check out the sweet and appealing recipe for Japanese shabu shabu that can be made with very simple steps!
Ingredients for Shabu Shabu Hot Pot For 4 people
Dried kelp 1 piece (kombu) Udon noodles 250 gr (1 package) Chinese cabbage 1 head Chrysanthemum greens 100 gr Enoki mushrooms 200 gr Shiitake mushrooms 70 gr King oyster mushrooms 100 gr Firm tofu 400 gr Small carrot 1 piece Beef 500 gr Green onions 2 sprigs Ponzu sauce 2 tablespoons Sesame sauce 2 tablespoons Grated white radish 1 teaspoon (finely grated) Japanese red pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon (or regular chili powder)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh beef
- For hotpot, you should choose the brisket and flank cuts, as they will be more tender and delicious when eaten.
- Choose pieces of beef that have lean meat interspersed with fat; the less fat, the better. Observe the piece of meat for marbling; it will be very tender.
- The meat fibers are usually small and even but should not be too fine; if it has the characteristic smell of beef and no unpleasant odor, it can be chosen for purchase.
- Press your hand on the beef; if it has good elasticity and the surface is dry without any slimy liquid, it is fresh beef.
How to choose fresh and delicious mushrooms
Enoki mushrooms
- It is advisable to buy from reputable establishments with clear source information to ensure the quality of the mushrooms.
- Pay attention to selecting mushrooms that have bright colors, a milky white appearance, are intact in bunches, and have whole stems.
- When squeezing with your hand, it should feel firm but not too soft, wilted, or watery; mushrooms should not have black spots, in which case they can be purchased.
- Avoid buying mushrooms that are yellowing, bruised, missing stems, have no pleasant smell, or even have an unpleasant odor; these should definitely not be purchased.
Shiitake mushrooms
- Fresh and delicious shiitake mushrooms should be intact without cracks or missing stems, and the caps should have a fresh color without being dull.
- The mushroom caps should be shiny brown-yellow, smooth, resembling a round umbrella, with short, thick stems.
- Only choose mushrooms that are of moderate size, uniform in shape, not too large or too small as they will not be as tasty.
- Avoid purchasing mushrooms that have an unusual smell when sniffed, feel soft and rubbery when squeezed, or have leaking juices, with a surface covered in white mold.
Water lily mushrooms
- Water lily mushrooms typically grow in bunches, so you should pay attention when selecting, avoiding loose mushrooms that are not connected.
- Look for mushrooms with light brown caps and bright white stems that are not too long, about 3 – 5cm is just right.
- Observe that the packaging is still intact, not torn or waterlogged, and that the mushroom surface is dry, indicating good storage, making them suitable for purchase.
How to choose fresh and delicious napa cabbage
- You should choose fresh, intact heads of napa cabbage that are not bruised, with no pests, and bright green leaves.
- When squeezing the stalk, if it feels firm, crispy, shiny, and has a milky white color without yellowing, it can be selected for purchase.
- When holding it, it should feel heavy compared to the size of the cabbage head; do not choose napa cabbages that are too light.
What is Ponzu sauce? Where to buy it?
- Ponzu is a distinctive sauce used in Japanese cuisine, made from fruits (usually citrus like orange, lemon, or kumquat), soy sauce, mirin, or dashi.
- Ponzu sauce is made by simmering to extract the juice from a mixture of mirin, rice vinegar, katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), and dried kombu seaweed, then adding a bit of sour fruit juice.
- You can find Ponzu sauce at stores specializing in Japanese products or purchase it on e-commerce sites. Additionally, you can refer to how to make this sauce at home according to TasteVN’s guide.
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How to prepare Shabu Shabu hotpot
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Prepare the beef and other ingredients
Wash the vegetables thoroughly and drain, cut the napa cabbage and chrysanthemum greens into short pieces, about 2 – 3 finger joints long.
Remove the stems from the enoki mushrooms and water lily mushrooms, separating them into small pieces, while for the shiitake mushrooms, remove the stems, and the caps can be trimmed neatly if desired.
Peel the carrot and cut it into thin slices, about 1/3 of a finger joint thick. Cut the green onion roots into long, thin slices, and chop the leaves finely.
Cut the tofu into small, even square pieces.
For the beef, rub it all over with salt for about 2 minutes, then rinse with clean water 1 – 2 times to ensure it is completely clean. Use a knife to cut it into thin slices of a good size and neatly arrange them on a plate.
Blanch the noodles in hot water for 3 – 5 minutes, then remove and place them in a bowl of ice water to soak for about 2 minutes, then take them out and place them in a basket to drain excess water.
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Stew vegetables and mushrooms
Open the lid of the previously simmered kombu pot, fold the piece of kombu out, then arrange all the tofu, carrots, napa cabbage, mushrooms, chrysanthemum greens, and green onion roots into the pot, continue to cover tightly and cook on high heat for about 10 minutes.
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Make the dipping sauce for the hotpot
In a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of Ponzu sauce, 1 teaspoon of finely grated daikon radish, 1/2 teaspoon of Japanese chili powder, and 1 teaspoon of chopped green onions, stir well until the ingredients are completely dissolved.
In another bowl, add 2 tablespoons of sesame sauce and 1 teaspoon of chopped green onions and mix well, and we will have 2 bowls of fragrant hotpot dipping sauce.
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Completion
Wait until the hot pot boils vigorously and the vegetables and mushrooms are soft; you can enjoy it right away.
Use chopsticks to dip a piece of beef into the pot for about 10 – 30 seconds for the meat to be slightly cooked. The beef is tender and delicious, mixed with the rich dipping sauce that is unique and tasty.
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Final Product
Shabu shabu hot pot has a naturally sweet broth from vegetables and mushrooms, suitable for dipping various foods such as beef, pork belly, and even shrimp and squid.
You can remove all the cooked vegetables separately and continue to boil the hot pot broth, then add udon noodles and blanch until the water boils again.
At this point, use a little diluted hot pot broth to mix with the dipping sauce. Dip the udon noodles into the sauce, enjoying while chatting with family on cool rainy afternoons is simply perfect.
What is Shabu Shabu hot pot?
- Shabu Shabu hot pot is a type of hot pot originating from China, later known as a popular hot pot dish around the world, especially commonly used in Japan.
- The term “shabu shabu” is used as an onomatopoeia, describing the sound of the hot pot boiling vigorously. This hot pot has its own distinct characteristic with a clear and sweet broth, usually served with napa cabbage, chrysanthemum leaves, beef, dipped in sesame sauce or ponzu sauce.
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Hope that with the simple steps that TasteVN has just shared with you about how to cook Japanese Shabu Shabu hot pot, it can help you change the family’s taste and make family meals more delicious!
