Beef and vegetable chafing dish (shabu shabu)

Serves 4

• 14 oz. (400 g) tender beef (or pork), thinly sliced
• 2-1/2 oz. (75 g) enoki
• 4 fresh Chinese black mushrooms (shiitake)
• 2/3 lb. (300 g) Chinese cabbage
• 7 oz.(200g) fresh cauliflower
• 1 large cake to fu
• 7 oz. (200 g) udon noodles (or fine shirataki)
• garland chryasanthemum (shungiku), as desired

A.

• 4 c. water
• 1 4" (10 cm) piece dried kelp (kumbu)

B.

• 3/4 c. each: dashi, soy sauce
• 2 T. sugar
• 4 T. mirin
• 1/8 t. Msg (ajinomoto; optional)

C.

• 1 c. sesame seed powder
• 1/8 t. white miso
• 3/4 c. soy sauce
• 2 t. mirin

D.

• Chinese white radish (daikon) puree, as desired
• minced fresh red chili pepper, as desired

• 1/8 t. lemon juice

Directions

Cut off the tough ends from the enoki and wash. Slice the mushrooms diagonally. cut the cabbage into chunks and the cauliflower into flowerets(illus. 1). Blanch the cauliflower briefly in boiling water. Cut the to fu into 3/4" (2 cm) cubes Immerse the udon noodles in boiling water briefly, remove, and set aside.

Arrange all the above ingredients, including the sliced beef, neatly on serving plates. Mix B and C sepatately until blended. Place D in a small serving dish. Put 1 in a pot over a table burner, and allow to soak 30 minutes. Bring to a boil,then remove the kelp. Immerse the meat in the kelp stock and swish around a few times. Remove when the color changes. Cook the other ingredients in the stock as you eat. Dip in the sauce you prefer (B or C, with D and lemon juice stirred in) before eating.

spinach with sesame Paste, for instructions on how to make the sesame seed powder in 3. If you do not care for miso, mustard may be used as a substitute.

Large chinese green onion (illus. 2 )may be added to the chafing dish for extra flavor.

Substitute freshly-squeezed kumquat (illus. 3 ) juice for the lomon juice for a taste variation.