Shabu Shabu

Shabu shabu is an extraordinarily simple dish essentially composed of pieces of raw beef (and vegetables) dipped into a kombu broth just long enough to cook. Dipping sauces may add interest, but what’s on display in this dish is not fancy spicing, but rather the fresh taste of quality ingredients. Beef should be cooked minimally—ideally, just below medium rare. “It’s somewhat customary to swish the beef in the broth just long enough to say ‘shabu-shabu-shabu’ (4-8 seconds),” says E Eto.

Like other Asian hot pot dishes, it’s an experience best enjoyed in cool weather, when one can be comforted by the hot steam from the broth. The vegetables and beef infuse the broth, and at the end of a shabu shabu meal, noodles are added to the broth and you have a nice noodle soup infused with all the flavors of everything you’ve dipped.

Board Links: Trying to understand shabu shabu