Shabu Shabu Thinly Sliced Beef Hot Pot

Gently wipe the kombu with a damp cloth, do not wash. Place the kombu in a large pot with 8 cups of water. Let it soak for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for deeper flavor. Slowly heat the pot over medium-low heat. Just before the water boils and small bubbles appear around the kombu, remove the kombu. Do not boil the kombu as it can make the broth bitter.

Wash and cut the napa cabbage into 2-inch pieces. Trim the root ends of enoki mushrooms and separate them. Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms and score a decorative cross on the caps if desired. Peel and thinly slice carrots. Drain and cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Wash and trim green onions and watercress.

Arrange all the prepared vegetables, tofu, and thinly sliced beef attractively on separate platters. This makes the dining experience visually appealing and easy for guests to access.

Transfer the dashi broth to a portable hot pot or electric skillet placed on a heat-resistant surface in the center of your dining table. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Keep the heat at a steady simmer, not a rolling boil.

Guests can now cook their own ingredients. Using chopsticks, pick up a slice of beef and swish it in the simmering broth for about 10-20 seconds until it changes color and is cooked to your liking. Then, dip the cooked beef into ponzu or goma dare sauce before eating. Follow with vegetables and tofu, cooking them until tender-crisp.

As ingredients are cooked and eaten, continue to add more beef, vegetables, and tofu to the pot. Maintain a gentle simmer throughout the meal. If the broth level gets low, add a little hot water or pre-made dashi to replenish it.

Towards the end of the meal, the broth will have absorbed wonderful flavors from all the ingredients. You can enjoy this rich broth as a soup, perhaps by adding some cooked rice or noodles to it for a comforting finish. This is known as shime, the closing dish.