📝 About This Recipe
Sukiyaki is the quintessential Japanese 'nabemono' or one-pot meal, celebrated for its communal spirit and deeply savory-sweet 'Warishita' sauce. This elegant dish features paper-thin slices of marbled wagyu beef gently simmered alongside earthy shiitake mushrooms, silky tofu, and chewy shirataki noodles. It is a masterpiece of balance, offering a rich, comforting experience that transforms a simple dinner into a celebratory ritual.
🥗 Ingredients
The Warishita (Sukiyaki Sauce)
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce (high-quality Japanese dark soy sauce)
- 1/2 cup Mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1/2 cup Sake (dry Japanese rice wine)
- 1/4 cup Caster Sugar (adjust to taste for sweetness)
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb Ribeye or Sirloin Beef (sliced paper-thin (shabu-shabu style))
- 1/2 head Napa Cabbage (cut into 2-inch chunks)
- 2 stalks Negi or Leek (sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces)
- 8 pieces Shiitake Mushrooms (stems removed, caps decorative-cut)
- 1 bunch Enoki Mushrooms (roots trimmed)
- 1 block Yaki-Tofu (broiled/firm tofu, cut into cubes)
- 7 oz Shirataki Noodles (rinsed, parboiled, and drained)
- 1 bunch Chrysanthemum Greens (Shungiku) (or baby spinach as a substitute)
- 1 cube Beef Tallow (or 1 tablespoon of neutral oil)
For Serving
- 4 pieces Large Eggs (pasteurized, for dipping)
- 4 bowls Steamed White Rice (short-grain Japanese rice)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare the Warishita sauce by combining soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a light simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
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2
Prepare the vegetables: Cut the napa cabbage, slice the negi (leeks) diagonally, and remove the tough stems from the shiitake mushrooms. Score a cross into the top of the shiitake caps for a traditional look.
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3
Rinse the shirataki noodles under cold water, boil them in water for 2 minutes to remove their earthy scent, drain, and cut them into manageable lengths.
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4
Arrange all prepared vegetables, tofu, noodles, and the thinly sliced beef beautifully on a large platter. This is a visual dish, so presentation matters!
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5
Place a shallow cast-iron sukiyaki pot or a heavy skillet on a portable burner in the center of the dining table. Heat the pot over medium-high heat.
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6
Rub the beef tallow or oil around the hot pot to coat the surface. Sear a few slices of the negi (leeks) until they become fragrant and slightly charred.
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7
Add 2-3 slices of beef to the pot and sear them quickly. Pour about 1/4 cup of the Warishita sauce over the beef. Once the beef is just cooked through, enjoy these first 'taster' pieces immediately.
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8
Add the remaining ingredients (cabbage, tofu, mushrooms, noodles) into the pot, keeping them in neat separate clusters rather than mixing them together.
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9
Pour enough Warishita sauce over the ingredients to reach about halfway up the vegetables. Do not submerge them completely; they will release their own juices.
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10
Cover and simmer for about 5-8 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the tofu has absorbed the dark color of the sauce.
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11
Add the chrysanthemum greens (shungiku) at the very end, as they only need a minute to wilt.
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12
While the pot simmers, crack one fresh pasteurized egg into individual small dipping bowls and whisk lightly with chopsticks.
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13
To eat, take a piece of beef or vegetable from the pot and dip it into the raw egg. The egg acts as a silky, cooling glaze that balances the salty-sweet sauce.
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14
As the pot empties, continue adding more ingredients and sauce in batches, ensuring everyone at the table is served.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always keep the shirataki noodles away from the beef in the pot; the calcium in the noodles can toughen the protein in the meat. If the sauce becomes too salty or thick as it reduces, dilute it with a splash of water or dashi stock. For the best texture, freeze the beef for 30-45 minutes before slicing if you are not buying pre-sliced meat. Use pasteurized eggs for the dipping sauce to ensure safety while maintaining the authentic creamy texture. Don't overcook the beef; it should be tender and just barely lose its pink color to remain succulent.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of fluffy, steamed Japanese short-grain rice to soak up the extra sauce. Pair with a chilled, dry Junmai Ginjo sake to cut through the richness of the wagyu beef. A hot cup of roasted green tea (Hojicha) provides a wonderful smoky contrast to the sweet Warishita. Finish the meal by adding udon noodles to the leftover sauce in the pot for a 'shime' (closing) course. A light pickled cucumber salad (Sunomono) makes a refreshing palate cleanser between bites.