Japanese Hot Pot
(Shabu Shabu)

Ingredients

Vegetables

• Variety of veggies like bok choy, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, squash… anything you adore!

Protein

• Meats - If you shop at an Asian market, they will have pre-sliced (THIN) meats. Beef, pork, chicken, etc. Thin sliced for ‘Shabu Shabu’ or Sukiyaki

• Tofu - use cubed firm or medium-firm

• Seafood - shrimp, scallops, crab, firm white fish - again anything to your liking.

Noodles or dumplings

• Ramen, yakisoba, or udon noodles

• Frozen premade wontons or gyoza potstickers

Sauces (I’m getting lazy here and giving you links to my 3 favorite sauces)

• Spicy Shabu Shabu Dipping Sauce 

• Sesame Soy Shabu Shabu Dipping Sauce  (This one is the bomb!)

• Basic Shabu Shabu Sauce

Directions

1. Make your soup base. There are so many options… I use a basic Dashi that I get from my local Asian market. For the simplest broth, you can simply add a sheet of Kombu to water in your large cooking pot. Add miso or other ingredients you love! You can even just use plain chicken broth if you like. The soup base will gather flavor as the meats and veggies cook.

2. Prepare your veggies and proteins. Lay them out in a pretty fashion on platters or large plates. (see photo)

3. Prepare your sauces. Sauces can be served individually in small dishes or bowls, or shared in a communal dipping bowl. 

4. Make rice, if you are using. 

Tips

• If you have an induction burner or cooktop, it’s fun to place in the middle of the table where everyone can dip their food into the cooking pot (similar to fondue). Or, just stand around the stove and casually graze.

• It’s handy, but not necessary, to use strainer scoops, so as not to lose anything in the cooking broth.