Shabu Shabu Thinly Sliced Beef Hot Pot

Gently wipe the kombu with a damp cloth to remove any impurities, but do not wash it. Place the kombu in a large hot pot or donabe with 8 cups of water. Let it soak for at least 30 minutes, or ideally 2-3 hours. Slowly heat the pot over medium-low heat. Just before the water comes to a boil, remove the kombu. Do not boil the kombu, as it can make the broth bitter. Keep the dashi simmering gently.

While the dashi is preparing, arrange the thinly sliced beef neatly on a large platter. Prepare all the vegetables: cut napa cabbage into 2-inch pieces, trim mushroom stems, slice carrots thinly, and cube tofu. Arrange these ingredients artfully on separate platters or around the beef platter, making them easy to pick up.

Place your hot pot or donabe with the simmering dashi broth at the center of your dining table, ideally on a portable burner. Arrange the platters of beef and vegetables around the hot pot. Provide individual small bowls for each diner for their cooked ingredients and separate small bowls for the dipping sauces (ponzu and goma dare).

Once the dashi is simmering gently, diners can begin cooking. Each person picks a slice of beef with chopsticks, swishes it in the hot broth for just a few seconds until it changes color and is lightly cooked (the name Shabu Shabu comes from this swishing sound). Remove the beef immediately to prevent overcooking, then dip it into their preferred sauce before eating.

After cooking some beef, add the vegetables and tofu to the simmering broth. Heartier vegetables like napa cabbage and carrots can go in first, followed by mushrooms and tofu. Cook them until they are tender-crisp. Remember to maintain a gentle simmer in the pot throughout the meal, adjusting the heat as needed.

Continue to cook and enjoy the ingredients, replenishing the broth with hot water or more dashi if it reduces too much. Encourage diners to try both dipping sauces and mix and match flavors. As the meal progresses, the broth will become richer with the flavors of the cooked ingredients. Towards the end, you can add cooked rice or udon noodles to the flavorful broth for a satisfying finish.