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Classic Kanto Style Sukiyaki

Ingredients

  • 1 lb / 450g well marbled rib eye or similar, with a chunk of fat on the outside; OR about 1 lb of sukiyaki beef with a small chunk of beef fat
  • 1 block of firm tofu or yakidofu (firm tofu that has been lightly grilled on the outside, available at Japanese grocery stores), cut into chunks (allow for 2 chunks per person)
  • 1 small or 1/2 large chinese/napa cabbage, cut up into chunks
  • a bunch of green leafy vegetables - I used pak choy here (traditional green is shungiku; use what you have)
  • 4 large or 8 small/medium raw shiitake mushrooms, stems cut off (you can use portobello mushrooms instead, sliced - 1-2 big ones)
  • The white of 1 leek, sliced
  • 2-3 packs of fresh or frozen udon noodles
  • 1 pack of rinsed and blanched shirataki noodles

For the sauce, called warishita (

  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup sake
  • 1/4 cup mirin
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Optional:

  • 4 raw eggs, to serve as the dipping sauce

Instructions:

  1. Cut up the vegetables and put into bowls, ready to go. Take the udon noodles out of their packets Rinse and briefly blanch the shirataki noodles. (The amount of udon noodles depends on whether you will be having rice with the meal or not. If yes, then you only need 1 or 2 packs of udon; if not, then go for more udon.)
  2. Mix all the liquid ingredients for the warishita together and put into a jug or something. Have the sugar ready. (Note: my stepfather just pours each ingredient directly into the pot, but pre-measuring things will probably be easier for beginners)
  3. Set out the burner, the pan, the bowls and utensils Were ready to go now!
  4. Heat up the pan on the burner, with the reserved piece or pieces of beef fat. Rub the fat around the pan a bit until its melting.
  5. Once theres a good film of melted fat all around the pan, pour in the sugar and mix around a bit. Then add the liquid ingredients. If the pan is hot enough it should boil up almost immediately.
  6. Let it simmer for a bit to evaporate the alcohol in the sake and mirin. Then, add around a quarter or so of the beef slices. (Take out the beef fat pieces at this time.)
  7. These first beef slices plus the beef fat provide the base flavor for sukiyaki, together with the warishita ingredients. Once the beef is cooking, you can start adding the other ingredients. Start with the vegetables and shiitake mushrooms, then add the tofu and shirataki. Remember to scoop out the beef slices and eat them!
  8. Keep eating the vegetables and things as they cook. About halfway through, add the udon (if you add it earlier it can get a bit overcooked, though it will still be very tasty). Now, this is optional, but the standard dipping sauce for sukiyaki is a raw beaten egg. But only do this if you are sure of the quality of your eggs - they should be farm fresh, maybe date-stamped, or pasteurized.
  9. Keep on taking out cooked stuff and putting more stuff in to cook. If the pan gets too dry, just add a bit of water and maybe a bit more soy sauce. Near the end of the proceedings, this is how the pan looks - everything a mellow light brown, having slurped up the goodness of that sauce.

Picture:

Source: http://justhungry.com/classic-sukiyaki-quintessential-japanese-beef-hot-pot

Recipe category: Entree