Shabu-shabu facts for kids
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| Type | Hot pot |
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| Place of origin | Japan |
| Region or state | Osaka |
| Main ingredients | Meat, vegetables, tofu |
Shabu-shabu (Japanese: しゃぶしゃぶ, romanized: shabushabu) is a yummy Japanese hotpot dish. It's made with super thin slices of meat and fresh vegetables. You cook them right at your table in boiling water or broth.
The name "Shabu-shabu" sounds a bit funny, right? It actually comes from the "swish swish" sound. This is the sound you hear when you stir the ingredients in the cooking pot. Each person cooks their own food, piece by piece, which makes it a fun meal to share! Shabu-shabu usually tastes more savory and less sweet than another Japanese hotpot dish called sukiyaki.
Contents
The Story of Shabu-shabu
Shabu-shabu first came to Japan in the 1900s. It started at a restaurant called "Suehiro" in Osaka. This is where the name "Shabu-shabu" was first used.
The idea for Shabu-shabu actually came from a Chinese hotpot dish. This Chinese dish is called Shuàn Yángròu, which means "instant-boiled mutton." Shabu-shabu is very similar to this original Chinese dish.
The owner of the "Suehiro" restaurant, Chūichi Miyake, officially registered the name in 1952. Shabu-shabu quickly became popular in the Kansai area of Japan. By 1955, it was on menus in Tokyo and then spread all over Japan.
Today, Shabu-shabu is a common dish in Japan. You can also find it in Japanese neighborhoods in other countries. These include places like the United States and Canada. It's also very popular in Taiwan.
How to Make Shabu-shabu
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This dish is usually made with very thin slices of beef. But you can also find versions with pork, crab, chicken, or lamb. Sometimes, even duck or lobster are used! The most common beef cut is ribeye, but other cuts like top sirloin are also popular. Some fancy restaurants might even use special beef like Wagyu.
Shabu-shabu is often served with tofu and lots of vegetables. These can include Chinese cabbage, chrysanthemum leaves, nori (seaweed), onions, and carrots. You might also see shiitake and enokitake mushrooms. Some places add noodles like udon, mochi, or harusame.
Cooking Your Shabu-shabu
To cook, you dip a thin slice of meat or a piece of vegetable into a pot of boiling water. Sometimes, it's a special broth called dashi, made with konbu (a type of kelp). You just swish the raw meat in the hot liquid for a few seconds. Since the meat is sliced so thin, it cooks super fast! It's best to cook one piece at a time so the meat doesn't get overcooked.
After cooking, you dip the meat and vegetables into special sauces. Two common sauces are ponzu and goma (sesame seed) sauce. You usually eat Shabu-shabu with a bowl of steamed white rice.
Order of Cooking Ingredients
Here's a good way to cook your Shabu-shabu:
- First, "shabu-shabu" some meat. The meat adds flavor to the soup.
- Next, add vegetables that take longer to cook. These include carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and Chinese cabbage.
- Finally, add ingredients that cook quickly. These are things like tofu, green onions, and Chinese cabbage leaves.
After you've eaten all the meat and vegetables, there will be tasty soup left in the pot. In Japan, people often add rice, ramen, or udon noodles to this leftover broth. This final dish is called "Shime" and it's a delicious way to finish your meal! A version with rice is also known as Zosui.
Delicious Dipping Sauces
There are many different sauces you can use for your Shabu-shabu. The most common ones are ponzu sauce and sesame sauce. Restaurants often give you soy sauce, sesame paste, ponzu, and other things to mix in. These can include spring onions and Japanese pickled carrots. This way, you can create your own perfect sauce!
Different Kinds of Shabu-shabu
While meat (beef, pork, or chicken) is most common, Shabu-shabu can be made with other things too. You can find versions with vegetables like lettuce or sliced radish. Fish variations often use yellowtail, amberjack, or sea bream. Sometimes, you might even find unique Shabu-shabu with octopus or crabs!
When cooked meat is served cold, it's called "Rei-shabu." You can often find Rei-shabu in convenience stores and supermarkets in Japan.
Here are some special Shabu-shabu dishes from different parts of Japan:
- Tohoku Region: Wakame Shabu-shabu (made with a type of seaweed)
- Kansai Region: Conger (a type of eel) Shabu-shabu
- Toyama Prefecture: Yellowtail Shabu-shabu
- Hokkaido Prefecture: Octopus Shabu-shabu
- Kagoshima Prefecture: Kagoshima Kurobuta Shabu-shabu (made with a special black pork)
- Nagoya: Nagoya-kochin Shabu-shabu (made with a famous Japanese chicken)
See also
In Spanish: Shabu-shabu para niños
