📝 About This Recipe
Sukiyaki is a beloved Japanese 'Nabemono' that epitomizes the communal dining experience, featuring marbled beef simmered in a sweet and savory soy-based 'Warishita' sauce. This recipe captures the essence of Tokyo-style Sukiyaki, balancing the richness of the meat with earthy shiitake mushrooms, silky tofu, and chewy shirataki noodles. It is a celebratory dish that transforms simple, high-quality ingredients into a sophisticated symphony of umami flavors.
🥗 Ingredients
The Warishita (Sauce Base)
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce (high-quality Japanese brand)
- 1/2 cup Mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1/2 cup Sake (dry Japanese rice wine)
- 3 tablespoons Sugar (granulated or light brown)
The Proteins and Produce
- 1 pound Beef Ribeye or Sirloin (paper-thinly sliced, well-marbled)
- 1 block Yaki-Tofu (grilled firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1/2 head Napa Cabbage (cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 2 stalks Negi (Japanese leek, sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces)
- 8 pieces Shiitake Mushrooms (stems removed, decorative cross-cut on caps)
- 1 bunch Enoki Mushrooms (roots trimmed, pulled into small clusters)
- 7 ounces Shirataki Noodles (drained and rinsed)
- 1 bunch Shungiku (Japanese crown daisy greens or substitute with spinach)
- 1 small cube Beef Tallow (or 1 tablespoon vegetable oil)
For Serving
- 4 large Eggs (pasteurized, for dipping)
- 4 bowls Steamed White Rice (short-grain Japanese rice)
- 1 pack Udon Noodles (pre-cooked, for the end of the meal)
👨🍳 Instructions
-
1
Prepare the Warishita sauce by combining soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and set aside.
-
2
Prepare the shirataki noodles by parboiling them in boiling water for 2 minutes to remove their earthy scent. Drain and cut them into shorter, manageable lengths.
-
3
Arrange all prepared vegetables, tofu, and noodles beautifully on a large platter. This is a visual dish, so keeping ingredients grouped together is traditional.
-
4
Place a shallow cast-iron sukiyaki pot or a heavy skillet on a portable burner in the center of the dining table.
-
5
Heat the pot over medium-high heat and melt the beef tallow (or oil), coating the entire bottom of the pan.
-
6
Sear a few slices of the beef until just browned. Pour about 1/4 cup of the Warishita sauce over the meat, let it bubble, and enjoy these first pieces immediately to appreciate the beef's quality.
-
7
Add more beef to the pot, followed by the leeks, tofu, and the tougher parts of the napa cabbage. Keep ingredients in their own sections of the pot.
-
8
Place the shirataki noodles in the pot, ensuring they are not touching the beef (the calcium in the noodles can toughen the meat).
-
9
Add the mushrooms and the remaining napa cabbage. Pour in the rest of the Warishita sauce until it covers about half of the ingredients.
-
10
Cover the pot and simmer for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the beef is cooked through.
-
11
Just before serving, tuck the shungiku (greens) into the pot, as they wilt very quickly.
-
12
While the pot simmers, crack one pasteurized egg into a small individual dipping bowl for each person and whisk lightly with chopsticks.
-
13
Diners should take items directly from the pot and dip them into the raw egg, which acts as a silky, cooling glaze for the hot, salty-sweet ingredients.
-
14
As the liquid reduces, you can add a splash of water or dashi if the sauce becomes too salty.
-
15
Once the main ingredients are finished, add the udon noodles to the remaining savory sauce in the pot to soak up the final bits of flavor for a satisfying conclusion.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use highly marbled beef; since it is cooked quickly in a salty sauce, lean meat will become tough. If you cannot find Yaki-Tofu, sear regular firm tofu in a pan until the sides are golden brown before adding to the pot. Keep the shirataki noodles away from the beef! The lime used to process the noodles can turn the beef gray and rubbery. Use pasteurized eggs for dipping to ensure safety, or omit the egg dip if you prefer, though it provides the authentic Sukiyaki experience. Don't overfill the pot with sauce; the vegetables will release their own moisture as they cook.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pair with a cold, crisp Junmai Ginjo Sake to cut through the richness of the beef. A side of pickled ginger or 'Tsukemono' (Japanese pickles) provides a refreshing palate cleanser. Serve with hot, fluffy Japanese short-grain rice to soak up the extra Warishita sauce. For a non-alcoholic pairing, a hot pot of roasted Hojicha tea complements the smoky, savory notes perfectly. Finish the meal with a light dessert like Matcha ice cream or sliced Asian pear.