Kurobuta Pork and Colorful Vegetables Shabu Shabu
Balanced healthy dinner with a very easy preparation
Ingredients
(for medium-size Classic-style Donabe) - 2 hearty servings
1.5 quarts (1.5 liters) water (soft water is preferred)
1 piece of dashi konbu (dried kelp for dashi stock), approx. 2” x 4”-5” size
2/3 pounds kuro buta pork or regular pork, very thinly sliced
1 head white shimeji mushrooms or your choice of mushrooms
1 medium size carrot, julienned
1/4 medium size daikon radish, julienned
4-5 scallions, thinly sliced
your choice of dipping sauce, such as miso ginger sauce, ponzu sauce, etc.
Procedure
Set the portable burner at the center of the dining table.
In a bowl, combine the water and dashi konbu and let it soak for 2 hours.
Transfer the water and konbu to the donabe. Set it over medium heat of the burner.
Before the broth starts boiling, remove the konbu.
Meanwhile, plate the vegetables and meat, and set the dipping sauce(s) in the individual bowls.
To cook, put the vegetables in the donabe first. Then, cook a piece of the pork and take the meat with the vegetables into a dipping sauce.
Skim as necessary during cooking.
Set the pot with the broth, ingredients to cook, and dipping sauce(s), then it’s ready to go..
<Highly-Recommended Optional>
Zosui (Japanese soup risotto)
After cooking all the meat and vegetables, the broth becomes really rich and deep in flavor. It’s a great idea to take advantage of this precious broth to make a rice or noodle dish with it.
To end the meal, season the leftover broth (about 1 liter) with about 2 table spoons of each sake and light soy sauce, and a pinch of salt (adjust the amount depending on how much broth is left). Add the cooked rice (about half volume of the leftover broth) in the broth. Then, drizzle the whisked eggs (2-3) over the rice. Close the lid and simmer over low heat until the eggs are cooked to your desired doneness.
Enjoy with the ground black pepper and/ or shichimi peppers.