Shabu Shabu

Thinly sliced wagyu beef and fresh vegetables cooked in a delicate kombu broth at the table.

Shabu shabu is a Japanese hot pot dish whose name is onomatopoeic — the sound of thinly sliced meat being swished through hot broth. It was introduced to Japan from China and popularised in Osaka in the 1950s at a restaurant called Suehiro. The dish became associated with premium wagyu beef. The two dipping sauces — ponzu (citrus-based) and goma dare (sesame) — allow the diner to choose their flavour journey through the meal. The enriched broth at the end of the meal, called shime, is considered the most flavourful part.

Remove kombu just before it boils or the broth turns bitter. Beef must be sliced paper thin. Never boil the broth hard.