Nabe (Japanese Hot Pot) Recipe

For the Broth:

• 6 cups dashi stock (can use store-bought or homemade)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
• 2 tablespoons sake (Japanese rice wine)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece of ginger, sliced
• 2 green onions, chopped

For the Hot Pot Ingredients (Customizable):

• Thinly sliced beef, pork, chicken, or seafood (such as shrimp, scallops, or fish fillets)
• Assorted vegetables (such as Napa cabbage, bok choy, spinach, carrots, mushrooms, and daikon radish), thinly sliced or cut into bite-sized pieces
• Tofu, sliced
• Shirataki noodles or udon noodles
• Kamaboko (Japanese fish cake), sliced
• Enoki mushrooms or shimeji mushrooms, bottom stems removed
• Chrysanthemum greens or other leafy greens
• Eggs (for dipping)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Broth:

1. In a large pot or a nabe pot (traditional Japanese hot pot), combine the dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, minced garlic, sliced ginger, and chopped green onions.
2. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Adjust seasoning if needed.

2. Set Up the Hot Pot:

1. Arrange the thinly sliced or bite-sized ingredients around the table for easy access.
2. Place the pot of broth on a portable burner in the center of the table and set it to low heat to keep the broth simmering throughout the meal.

3. Cooking Process:

1. Each diner can use chopsticks or a small strainer to add their desired ingredients to the hot pot.
2. Allow the ingredients to cook in the simmering broth until they are cooked through and tender. Cooking times may vary depending on the ingredients, so monitor them closely.
3. Once the ingredients are cooked, diners can use chopsticks or a small ladle to retrieve the cooked food from the pot.
4. Enjoy the hot pot ingredients with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, grated daikon radish, or ponzu sauce.

4. Finishing Touches:

1. As the meal progresses, diners can continue to add more ingredients to the hot pot and enjoy them as they cook.
2. Toward the end of the meal, noodles can be added to the pot to cook and soak up the flavorful broth.
3. Once all the ingredients have been enjoyed, diners can finish the meal by savoring the remaining broth as a comforting soup.

5. Serve:

1. Serve the nabe hot pot ingredients and broth with bowls of steamed rice and additional condiments if desired.
2. Enjoy the communal dining experience and the comforting flavors of this traditional Japanese hot pot meal with family and friends.