Shabu-Shabu

Shabu-shabu, hot pot, Chinese fondue, steamboat — whatever you call it, its perfect for friends and family to gather around the table and enjoy on a cold winter night. Throw in a little sake or beer and if this isn’t heaven, it’s darn close!

Shabu-shabu is a Japanese style of cooking at the table. The dish is prepared by submerging a very thin slice of meat or a piece of vegetable in a pot of boiling water or broth. Swishing it back and forth several times to cook, the familiar swishing sound is where the dish gets its name because shabu-shabu directly translates to “swish-swish”. Cooked meat and vegetables are usually dipped in ponzu or sesame seed sauce before eating with a bowl of steamed white rice. You can also combine the broth with the remaining rice once the meat and vegetables have been eaten.

My dad and I used to have shabu-shabu nights when I was a kid. He told me that shabu-shabu originated from Chinese hot pot which had origins in the region of Mongolia before the rise of the Mongols. It was rumored to have originated around the 13th century as a way for Genghis Khan to efficiently feed his soldiers.

As a kid, I didn’t know any other family who ate like that. I remember thinking to myself, normal families wouldn’t hoover around a boiling pot and cook their own food, that’s ghetto! It wasn’t until I was invited to a friend’s house to shabu-shabu that I realized this style of cooking was popular with families from any culture.

One of the reasons why I love shabu-shabu is the health factor. What could be better than top quality beef and fresh vegetables swirled through a simmering savory broth? You select exactly what you’d like to eat and the meats are of the highest quality. Plus, all the cooking is done in broth, not oil.

Today, shabu-shabu is the newest trend in dining. Jacqueline Church, author of Beyond Sushi: Shabu Shabu, declares it as “the new sushi”. Shabu-shabu allows family and friends to slow down, cook, eat and spend time together in this ever changing fast-pace lifestyle.

To learn how to cook and eat shabu-shabu, check out About.com: Japanese Food.

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