Japanese Sukiyaki

By Culiora

Sukiyaki is a classic Japanese hot pot dish prepared at the table in a sweet and savory broth made from soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Thinly sliced beef is simmered alongside tofu, shirataki noodles, and vegetables, and traditionally dipped into beaten raw egg just before eating.

• Servings: 4
• Prep time: 25 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Total time: 45 min

Ingredients

• 500 g ribeye or sirloin (well-marbled), very thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp neutral canola oil (or a piece of beef tallow) for searing
• 300 g firm tofu, cut into large cubes (optionally lightly browned)
• 200 g shirataki noodles (konjac noodles)
• 4 pcs scallions or Japanese leek (negi), cut diagonally into 4 cm pieces
• 1/2 pcs Napa cabbage, cut into large bite-sized pieces
• 100 g enoki mushrooms, trimmed
• 4 pcs fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps scored with a cross pattern
• 100 g shungiku (chrysanthemum greens) or baby spinach
• 1 dl Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
• 1 dl mirin
• 1 dl sake (Japanese rice wine)
• 1/2 dl granulated sugar
• 1 dl water or dashi (to dilute as needed)
• 4 pcs fresh eggs (preferably organic/pasteurized for raw consumption)
• 4 pcs servings freshly cooked Japanese short-grain rice

Instructions

1. Parboil the shirataki noodles in plenty of boiling water for 1 minute, drain in a colander, and cut into shorter lengths (about 10–15 cm). Drain thoroughly.
2. Combine the Japanese soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat. This is your warishita (sauce base).
3. Neatly arrange all the prepared vegetables, tofu, mushrooms, and noodles on a large serving platter so everything is ready by the table or stove.
4. Heat a wide, shallow cast-iron skillet or sukiyaki pot over medium-high heat with oil or beef tallow. Add a few slices of beef and sear quickly for about 30–60 seconds.
5. Pour about half of the warishita sauce over the beef so it lightly caramelizes. Push the meat to one side and arrange clusters of tofu, scallions, Napa cabbage, shiitake, enoki, and shirataki noodles around the pan. Keep the noodles and meat separated so the beef does not toughen.
6. Let everything simmer over medium heat for 4–6 minutes until the vegetables have softened slightly. Fold in the spinach/shungiku during the last 2 minutes. Add more warishita or a splash of dashi/water if the liquid boils down or the sauce becomes too concentrated.
7. Crack a raw egg into an individual small bowl for each person and beat lightly with chopsticks. Pick the simmered ingredients straight from the bubbling pan, dip into the beaten egg, and enjoy alongside freshly cooked rice. Replenish with more meat, vegetables, and sauce as the pot empties.