Beef and Vegetables in a Table Top Broth (Shabu Shabu) Recipes

Ingredients :

450g sirloin beef, trimmed

1.7 liters water

1/2 sachet of instant Dashi powder, or 1/2 vegetable stock cube

150g carrots

6 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and sliced

150g Chinese leaves, roughly shredded

225g giant white radish, peeled and shredded

285g Udon, or fine wheat noodles, cooked

115g canned bamboo shoots, sliced

175g bean curd (tofu), cut into large dice

10 shiitake mushrooms, fresh or dried

Sesame dipping Sauce

50g sesame seeds, or 2 tbsp tahini paste

100ml instant Dashi stock or vegetable stock

4 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp sake, optional

2 tsp Wasabi Powder, optional

Ponzu dipping Sauce

75ml lemon juice

1 tbsp rice or white wine vinegar

75ml soy sauce

1 tbsp Tamari sauce

1 tbsp Mirin, or 1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp instant Dashi powder, or 1/4 vegetable stock cube

Method :

Place the meat in the freezer for 30 minutes until firm but not frozen. Slice the meat with a large knife or cleaver. Arrange neatly on a plate, cover and set aside. Bring the water to the boil in a Japanese donabe, or any other covered flame proof casserole that is unglazed on the outside. Stir in the Dashi powder or stock cube, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Serve at the table standing on its own heat source. To prepare the vegetables, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Peel the carrots and with a canelle knife cut a series of grooves along their length. Slice the carrots thinly and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Blanch the spring onions (scallions), Chinese leaves and giant white radish for the same time. Arrange the vegetables with the noodles, bamboo shoots and bean curd (tofu). Slice the mushrooms (soak dried mushrooms in boiling water for 3-4 minutes). To make the sesame dipping sauce, dry fry the sesame seeds, if using, in a heavy frying pan, taking care not to burn them. Grind the seeds smoothly using a pestle and mortar with a rough surface. Alternatively, you can use tahini paste. Add the remaining ingredients, combine well then pour into a shallow dish. Sesame dipping sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To make the Ponzu dipping sauce, pt the ingredients into a screw top jar and shake well. Provide your guests with chopsticks and individual bowls, so they can help themselves to wheat they want. Towards the end of the meal, each guest takes a portion of noodles and ladles the well flavored stock over them.

Cooking Tips

Dashi is the name given to Japan's most common stock. The flavor derives from a special seaweed known as kelp. This light tasting stock is available in powder form from oriental food stores. Diluted vegetable stock cube is a good substitute for Dashi. Tahini paste is a purée of toasted sesame seeds that is used mainly in Greek and Turkish cooking. It is available in large supermarkets and specialist food shops.

Shabu Shabu is the prefect introduction to Japanese cooking and is well suited to party gatherings. The name refers to the swishing sound made as wafer thin slices of beef, bean curd (tofu), and vegetables cook in a special broth.

Serves 4 - 6

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