Pork Shabu Shabu
Pork Shabu Shabu
Serves: 2
Pork shabu shabu is a pot dish which is a variation of the more common beef shabu shabu. This pot dish is a fun meal to enjoy during the cold winter months, surrounded by friends and family. It requires minimal cooking skills and preparation time. When you are on a tight schedule, pork shabu shabu is an easy way to feed your family or guests. Aside from making the broth with dried kelp and garlic, the preparation process involves mostly washing and cutting the ingredients – all of which can be done within 10-15 minutes. This dish allows you to interact with your family and friends while the meal is being cooked in front of you. I like this dish not only for its easy preparation but also because I can savor a lot of vegetables in one meal. Hope you try this healthy meal!
Ingredients:
350g pork loin shabu shabu cut
Dried kelp about 3”x3”
2-3 garlic cloves
300g Daikon
150g Baby spinach
Ponzu sauce (citrus-based soy sauce)
Sesame sauce
Chili flakes or sauce, if you prefer extra heat
Necessary tools:
Portable burner
Portable gas
Mandoline slicer (recommended)
Grater (Japanese oroshi grater is recommended for a finer, juicer texture.)
Directions:
1. Pour approximately 1 to 1.5 liter of water in a large medium-height pot. Using a pair of cooking scissors, make small incisions (like ½ inch) along the sides of the dried kelp. Add the kelp in the pot and let it soak in the water for at least 15 minutes to a few hours. The longer you soak the dried kelp, the more flavors can be extracted.
2. Wash all the vegetables and peel the daikon skins using a peeler. Slice half of the daikon thinly. If you have a mandoline slicer, I recommend using it as daikon can be sliced paper-thin with it. If the daikon is large, you may need to cut them into bite size portions. The remaining daikon is grated and combined with an equal amount of ponzu sauce to create a dipping sauce.
3. Start heating the pot with a lid on a gas range. Using the flat side of a chef’s knife, crush the garlic cloves and peel the skins. Add the crushed garlic cloves to the heating pot. Before the water is completely boiled, take the kelp out.
4. The pot with the cooking broth is now ready to be heated over a portable burner on a dining table. At this point, make sure everyone you are sharing the meal with is seated around the dining table. Start the portable burner. Add the vegetables and meat to the simmering broth in several batches.
5. Once the first batch is fully cooked, it is time to feast on the vegetables and meat with either the daikon ponzu sauce or a sesame dipping sauce. Continue cooking the remaining batches, repeating the process until all ingredients are cooked and eaten. Serve this hot pot dish with freshly cooked rice. Alternatively, in Japan, it is traditional to make porridge or udon using the remaining broth at the end of the meal. Enjoy!
Note: Shabu Shabu meat cooks quickly so be extra careful not to overcook the meat.
