It is getting warmer in Australia. The other day I bought some organic salad mix and radish at the market, so I thought I would make a Japanese shabu-shabu salad, something refreshing but filling for my husband.
What is Shabu Shabu?
Shabu-shabu is a Japanese Nabe dish. Bite-sized pieces of thinly sliced ingredients are cooked by dipping them into boiling water or broth simmering in a pot on the table, and then dipped into a small bowl of sauce. The sauce is usually ponzu (Japanese citrus juice) or sesame sauce
This time, instead of a hot-pot dish, we’re going to make a dish where the meat is quickly boiled and served on top of a salad with a dressing. Shabu-shabu salad is very popular in Japan and is often eaten at home. Sometimes the salad and meat are served on top of cold Udon noodles with sauce. Popular sauces includes sesame sauce and soy-based sauces.
What you need for this recipe
Thin sliced shabu shabu cut beef from Asian supermarkets Yuzu Jam– Asian supermarkets or you can use orange jam.
Soy sauce- Supermarkets or Asian shops.
Rice vinegar-Supermarkets or Asian shops (I like to use rice vinegar because I found it’s not as sharp a taste. If you prefer a sharper taste other such vinegars like apple or to your liking can be used.
What is Yuzu?
Yuzu is a type of citrus fruit classified in the tangerine family. It is a member of the tangerine, lemon, sudachi, and kabosu family, and has a distinctive fresh aroma and sour taste.
Because of its strong acidity and hard peel, yuzu is not often eaten as-is like mandarin oranges.
However, the juice, peel, and of course the fruit itself can be used in a variety of dishes, and is attracting attention not only in Japanese cuisine but also in France and other countries.
Tips for this recipe
• Make the dressing ahead of time.
• Soak the salad in water for 5-10 minutes to crisp it up.
• When boiling the meat, spread the meat out one piece at a time for about 15-20 seconds. When the meat is no longer reddish, remove the meat from the hot water and immediately place in cold water. Putting the meat into the cold water stops it cooking further and becoming chewy.
• After chopping the onion, sprinkle salt on it and let it sit for about 5 minutes. This will eliminate the pungent taste of the onion.
• Keep the tomato seeds, you can use it for making tomato sauce or soup. If you don’t want to use soon, put them in the freezer.
Nikujaga is Meat and potatoes are a staple dish for Japanese people.
It is also called “mother’s taste” in Japan.
It is a dish that has been around for a long time and is probably one of the dishes passed down from mother to daughter.
These days, many households make it simply by using dashi (soup stock) powder instead of soup stock.
This is probably due to the fact that they are both working and have little time to cook.
However, I would like to introduce a delicious Nikujaga using a freshly made dashi.
Please refer to the previous article on how to make dashi using a teapot.
What you will need this time
Potato
Carrot
Onion
Konjac noodles (You can buy at Coles or Asian shops).
Beef thin sliced (You can buy at Asian shops, and they are already sliced). called shabu shabu style beef.
Soy sauce, Sake, Mirin. (You can buy at Asian ships or sometime find them at Woolworth or Coles)
Tip for making Nikujaga
Choose thin beef with a good amount of fat.
The amount of fat in beef used for Nikujyaga is crucial.
Too much fat will result in a greasy texture, while too little will result in a bland texture.
Sautee ingredients before simmering. Although nikujaga is a stewed dish, the process of adding water and simmering is only the “finishing touch.
By sautéing the ingredients first, it prevents them from falling apart. It also adds a savory flavour.
Remember stewed dishes have more flavour the next day.
This time, even those who are not good at making soup stock can make it easily! You can make Dashi without putting it on the stove.
What is Japanese Dashi stock?
There are various types of Dashi, but the most used ingredients are probably dried bonito flakes, kelp, and dried sardines. Dashi, made from dried bonito flakes and dried sardines has a strong seafood flavour, while Dashi made from kelp has a refreshing taste.
Basically, dashi is made by boiling the ingredients in water and straining, but powdered or granulated Dashi can be used to make dashi broth more easily.
Powdered dashi broth is readily available at Asian supermarkets, but, if you want to make a more authentic version and don’t want the hassle, this may be the right choice for you.
You don’t even need a stove. Just put the ingredients in a teapot, pour boiling water into the teapot, wait one minute, and it’s ready to use.
I use sometime dashi powder, but I choose additive free dashi powder.
If you can’t get kombu, I used this time dried Wakame from Asian shops or healthy shops.
Why use dashi stock for Japanese cooking?
Just delicious! The food tastes great!
Dashi made with umami seasoning has a strong, monotonous flavour, but dashi made properly with kombu and bonito has depth, and its aroma and richness spread gradually. The sixth taste, umami, is now attracting attention around the world. You can taste its umami.
Additive-free, healthy, tasty, low-sodium!
Soup stock made from natural ingredients is additive-free, safe, and healthy.
With umami, you can enjoy delicious dishes with less salt. Even those who do not try to reduce salt can enjoy dishes with a satisfying flavour if they have umami.
This is a particularly nice benefit for those who are concerned about lifestyle-related diseases.
Keyword bonito, easy to make, how to make Dashi, Japanese dashi, Kombu
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 5 minutesminutes
Servings 1people
Equipment
1 Tea pot
Ingredients
5cmDried Wakame or Kombu
5gBonito flake
450mlHot water
Instructions
Put bonito flakes and dried wakame in a tea pot’s strainer.
Pour 450ml of hot water into the tea pot, put the lid on, then leave 1 min.
After 1 min, pour into the bowl or jug and you’re done. (If you don’t have a strainer in your tea pot, use a strainer when you pour the dashi into a bowl)