Shabu shabu is basically a Japanese style hot pot, when we were visiting China, we came across this hot pot restaurant that had a spicy and very flavorful broth, it was served in a cast iron pot that was like a pan but with high sides. The pan was decorated with an assortment of root vegetables, tofu, and leafy greens.
To make shabu shabu at home, you will need; A portable gas/electric stove, a stainless steel pot, a clay pot, or a cast iron pot. Whenever we make this, it’s generally with a group of friends or family. Of course, tastes differ… some people like their shabu shabu broth very spicy while other can’t handle spice so much. Using a dual hot pot allows more flexibility to accommodate everyone around the table.
You can buy pre-made package for the soup broth base but of course, making your own is so much more satisfying! Here is my spicy miso pork broth recipe bellow.
As for the different meats and vegetables that you can cook, really depends on what you like. I have some of my must-have in this recipe to give you an idea. Don’t forget about the different types of mushrooms, tofu,and noodles.
Ingredients
Spicy Broth
- 1 lbs pork bones see notes
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery
- 2 Tbsp ginger
- 3 Tbsp Gochujang
- 1 1/2 Tbsp red miso paste
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Sides
- beef thinly sliced
- pork thinly sliced
- 1 pack beef ball
- 1 pack fish ball
- 12 wonton
- 4 cup watercress
- 4 cup Romaine lettuce
- 1 pack tofu deep fried
- 1 taro thinly sliced
- 1 lotus thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large pot you will start by cleaning the pork bones, add enough water to the pot to cover the pork bones, bring to a boil and keep boiling for 5 minutes.
- Strain the pork bones and rinse with cold water. Wash the pot refill with water leaving 3 inches from the top.
- If you are using chicken then skip washing steps.
- Add the carrots, onions, celery, and ginger. Simmer on medium with the lid on for about 30 minutes.
- Add the miso and Gochujang paste. Simmer on medium-low heat for about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- While the broth is cooking, wash the watercress and romaine lettuce, and place in large bowl. Peel and thinly cut the taro and lotus. Arrange the meat, beef ball, and fish ball on plates.
- After 45 minutes, adjust the salt if needed. Remove the chicken, carrots, onions, and ginger. Pour the broth into the shabu shabu pot, and start cooking!
- Usually, we start with meat, vegetables, and then lastly noodles of your preference along with the broth. You can use udon, glass, vermicelli, or the thin chow mien noodles.