Japanese Shabu-Shabu Twist
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Shabu-shabu. Broth with chicken and beef stock plus soy and kombu seaweed instead of nori. Carrots swapped for daikon radish, sliced thin for crisp bite. Beef replaced by thinly sliced pork shoulder to change profile. Served with udon noodles over soba for chew. Shiitake and baby bok choy for greens, plus scallions like original. Ponzu sauce with grated ginger added punch; wasabi optional. Broth simmers gently, aromas of ginger and seaweed fill kitchen. Meat cooks fast, just on edge of pink. Perfect timing makes this a vibrant, interactive meal rich in textures and umami.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
45 min
Servings:
4 servings
#Japanese
#hot pot
#pork
#shabu-shabu
#udon
#ponzu
#kombu
#shiitake
Shabu-shabu means swish-swish in Japanese. Everyone’s dipping thin meat and veggies in hot broth, cooking them live. The aroma’s hitting—ginger sharp, seaweed umami-rich, bubbling quietly beneath thin wisps of steam. I swapped out beef for pork here; greater fat, sweeter bites. Nestled daikon radish cuts in place of carrots; they keep snaps under teeth, add brightness. Udon noodles soak up flavors unlike soba’s nuttiness—wanted more chew. It’s interactive, social, fast-paced but thoughtful. Broth simmering, meat sliding pink before your eyes. Often rushed; timing is everything—too long and pork dries out, too short and cold inside. Every step matters; you can smell when broth’s turned, see the mushrooms plump. Shabu-shabu is about patience masked by quick bursts. My kitchen smells alive, everyone leaning in, cooking, dipping, eating—just right.
Ingredients
Broth
- 900 ml low-sodium chicken stock
- 200 ml concentrated beef broth (canned)
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 1 piece of fresh ginger 3 cm peeled, sliced thin
- 1 piece kombu kelp sheet about 5x5 cm
- 1 medium daikon radish peeled, sliced into 6 cm matchsticks
Accompaniments
- 500 g thinly sliced pork shoulder for shabu-shabu
- 250 g cooked udon noodles, tossed lightly in sesame oil
- 225 g shiitake mushrooms caps only, cleaned
- 30 g baby bok choy leaves
- 2 scallions cut into 5 cm lengths
- Ponzu sauce mixed with grated fresh ginger
- Wasabi optional
About the ingredients
Substitutions? Kombu is easier to find fresh than nori and offers a cleaner sea flavor without bitterness. If no kombu, use a splash of fish sauce or dried shiitake for umami. Beef broth adds depth but can overpower; reduce quantity if preferred. Daikon brings crunch and slight sweetness; if unavailable, asparagus or thinly sliced kohlrabi works. Pork shoulders must be thinly sliced to ensure quick cooking—freeze briefly before slicing to ease work. Udon noodles are slippery and chew well; soba is earthier but breaks faster in hot broth. Remember to lightly oil noodles once cooked; prevents clumping during serving. Ponzu customized with fresh grated ginger gives punch—substitute lemon juice with a little vinegar for brightness. Wasabi optional but I always keep it ready. Keep ingredients neat and chilled until last moment, or they’ll weep moisture and lose punch. Mushrooms—choose fresh, firm shiitakes, avoid wet or slimy caps.
Method
Broth preparation
- Heat chicken and beef broth joined by soy sauce, ginger slices and kombu in fondue pot or medium saucepan until just before boiling; watch for tiny bubbles at edges. That gentle simmer keeps clear broth. Remove ginger and kombu after about 6 minutes, once aroma becomes sharp but before bitterness.
- Toss in daikon sticks, cook until tender-crisp about 7 minutes. Daikon should still have slight bite; test one. Remove with slotted spoon; transfer to serving bowl.
- Place hot fondue pot on portable burner or electric hot plate in center of table, set to low simmer.
For serving
- Arrange pork slices, udon, shiitakes, baby bok choy and scallions on platters.
- Use chopsticks to dip thin pork slices briefly into broth until edges just turn pale pink. Meat should be barely cooked through; timing varies but seconds, not minutes.
- Cook mushrooms and greens similarly, pick up as they become tender. Udon warms quickly, do not overcook.
- Serve with ponzu-ginger sauce on the side for dipping; a dab of wasabi adds heat if you like.
Notes on timing and texture
- Broth must not boil vigorously, or stock turns cloudy and toughens meat texture.
- Skipping kombu or ginger? Substitute with a few crushed garlic cloves or a strip of dried shiitake stem for depth.
- Pork richer and fattier than beef, changes mouthfeel, use well-marbled pieces for best result.
- Daikon offers refreshing contrast to heavier meat; replace with asparagus tips if unavailable but reduce cook time.
- Don’t overcrowd pot; keep ingredients moving to prevent stewing.
- Multiple rounds are expected in shabu-shabu. Reheat broth between rounds if it cools too much.
Cooking tips
Heat broths gently to coax flavors without cloudiness. Kombu should never boil aggressively—remove just as bubbles gather. Ginger slices stay long enough to infuse but not bitter. Daikon must remain slightly firm; too soft turns mushy, loses bite. Use slotted spoon to fish out veggies—prevents overcooking in residual heat. Hot plate or electric fondue burner on low simmer keeps broth clear, meat tender. Thin pork cooks in seconds; dip and swirl immediately till pink edges appear. Mushrooms and greens follow suit but watch textures—bok choy wilts fast. Udon noodles warm without cooking further; no sogginess. Don’t dump ingredients all at once—overcrowding drops temperature and dilutes flavor. Multiple rounds expected; skim surface to remove foam or fat buildup mid-meal for clean broth. Know when broth smells strong or tastes bitter—time to refresh. Always have extra broth or water at hand to maintain levels during service, adjust seasoning if diluted. A test bite reveals doneness better than clock watch. Spoons for broth, chopsticks for meat and veg, keep setup simple yet effective. Cleaning up? Used broth can be base for soup or sauce later—never waste.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Broth simmer low not boil; bubbles gather at edges then remove kombu. Long soak makes bitter. Ginger stays for punch but pull early before harsh. Timing is aroma cue not clock. Daikon sticks need crisp bite; too soft is sloppy. Use slotted spoon fish out, cool in bowl. Keeps texture true.
- 💡 Pork thin slices freeze briefly first. Slices near translucent cook instantly, pink edges flash. Beef trickier, pork fattier, slips taste richer. Noodles toss sesame oil — stops clump. Udon warms fast no cooking. Overcrowd pot kills broth heat, soggy veggies, dull flavor. Spread rounds; enjoy pacing.
- 💡 Substitute kombu with dried shiitake stems or splash fish sauce if fresh kelp lacking. Daikon swap asparagus tips or thin kohlrabi. Ponzu hits bright with fresh ginger or lemon juice plus vinegar if ginger not ready. Wasabi optional but adds clean burn. Keep all chilled until serve to hold snap and brightness.
- 💡 Use portable fondue pot or electric plate low simmer—keeps broth clear. Hot plate placement critical; center table means interactive. Skim foam or fat mid-meal to keep broth pure. Test broth aroma often; sharp or bitter means refresh time. Extra broth or water near for topping off. Indicators trump timers.
- 💡 Cook mushrooms and greens fast; shiitake flush, bok choy wilts quick. Udon only warms no soak time. Meat cooks several seconds, quick swirl, pink edges appear; meat still soft inside. Don’t wait or pork dries. Chopsticks for meat and veg; simple setup. Broth leftover? Save—base sauces, soups later; waste kills flavor.
Common questions
How long to cook pork slices?
Just seconds. Watch edges go pale pink not brown. Meat tender still. Thin cuts freeze briefly so slicing easier. Timing varies by thickness; better judge by feel and sight not clock.
What if no kombu seaweed?
Use dried shiitake stems or splash fish sauce for umami. Kombu avoids bitterness. Fresh kelp rare sometimes. Broth still flavorful but adjust simmer to avoid cloudiness.
Udon noodles soggy after warming?
Toss with little sesame oil right after cooking. Don’t overheat in broth. Just warm enough; no soak. Serve immediately. Cooler noodles clump fast; rice noodles possible sub but texture totally different.
Can broth be stored and reused?
Yes but skim fat and foam first; cool fast in fridge. Reheat gently low simmer. Add fresh kombu or broth base for stronger next round. Use leftover broth for soups. Freeze if holding long, but lose some aroma.
