Shabu Shabu

Step 1

Gather all the ingredients.

Step 2

To make the ponzu and sesame dipping sauces from scratch, follow the recipe links in the ingredient list. You can make the sauces ahead of time.

Step 3

Fill a donabe clay pot (or Dutch oven or any large pot) two-thirds full of water. Add the kombu and soak in the water for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, you can prepare the other ingredients. The right image shows the kombu dashi broth after 30 minutes.

Step 4

Prepare the udon noodles according to the instructions. Reheat the frozen udon in boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer the noodles to iced water to stop the cooking and drain well. Place on a plate and set aside. You'll end the meal with the udon course after all the other ingredients are cooked and eaten.

Step 5

Cut the napa cabbage leaves into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces, and then cut each piece in half or into thirds.

Step 6

Cut the shungiku into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces.

Step 7

We only use the white part of the Tokyo negi (or the leek or green onions). Cut it diagonally into pieces ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick.

Step 8

Rinse the enoki and shimeji mushrooms. Discard the root ends of both mushrooms and separate them into smaller chunks.

Step 9

Cut off the stems of the shiitake mushrooms and make a decorative cutting on the cap (optional).

Step 10

Cut the carrot into ¼-inch rounds. If you'd like, you can use a vegetable cutter to create a flower shape.

Step 11

Cut the tofu into square pieces about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.

Step 12

Arrange all the ingredients on a serving platter.

Step 13

Peel the daikon and grate it using a grater (I love and use this one all the time). Squeeze the grated daikon gently to remove most of the liquid and put it into a small bowl.

Step 14

Cut the green onions into thin rounds and put it in a bowl.

Step 15

Prepare the shichimi togarashi in a bowl (optional). Lay the thinly sliced beef on a plate.

Step 16

Set up a portable gas stove at the table and put the donabe on the burner. Place the platters with the ingredients on the table. Give each person their own bowls of ponzu sauce and sesame sauce. I also like to prepare an additional bowl for each person so they can use it to cool the food.

Step 17

Bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat. Take out the kombu right before water starts to boil (otherwise, the water will get slimy).

Step 18

Add the tofu, tough parts of napa cabbage and shungiku, negi, carrots, and some mushrooms. You don’t have to put all the ingredients in at once; you may cook in batches if you prefer. Cover to cook for 10 minutes.

Step 19

While you’re waiting for the food to cook, prepare your dipping sauces. Add the grated daikon, shichimi togarashi, and green onion to the ponzu. Add the green onion to the sesame sauce.

Step 20

When you're ready to eat the meat, pick up a piece of thinly sliced beef with a set of communal chopsticks and stir or "swish" the meat in the boiling broth. Cook for 20-30 seconds or until the meat is no longer pink; be careful not to overcook it.

Step 21

Take out the cooked beef and vegetables from the pot when they are done and dip the food in the ponzu or sesame sauce.

Step 22

Add the remaining ingredients to the boiling broth as needed and simmer for a few minutes. Skim off the scum and foam from the surface as you cook. Prepare a fine-mesh skimmer and a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl filled with water at the table so you can easily skim as you cook. The water in the measuring cup will help you clean the skimmer. We want to keep the broth as clean as possible.

Step 23

When all the ingredients are cooked, skim the broth one last time to prepare for the udon noodles. Typically, a hot pot meal ends with cooking udon noodles or porridge.

Step 24

Add the udon noodles to the pot and reheat for 1-2 minutes. Lightly season the broth with salt and white pepper, if you'd like (optional).

Step 25

Dilute the individual bowls of ponzu sauce with the broth and serve the udon noodles in each bowl.

Step 26

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month.