This Sukiyaki recipe is very special to me. Growing up, my Mother cooked most meals, but Sukiyaki was a meal that my Father would always make for the family. He still makes it for us whenever we visit them in Japan. The first time my husband Ben had it, he devoured it. The second time, he stood by my Father and took meticulous notes. Then Ben recreated it back in the US. Since then, this has become a dish that Ben prepares. So for me, this dish is not only delicious, it also signifies a family tradition passed on from my Japanese father to my American husband!
Sukiyaki
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
Sukiyaki sauce
- 1 cup cooking sake
- 1 cup mirin
- 1 cup soy sauce
Sukiyaki
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 pounds beef thinly sliced for Sukiyaki or Shabu Shabu (e.g. Kobe beef chuck roll, Angus beef ribeye)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 4 cups dashi
- 10 shiitake mushrooms whole but stems discarded (Donko flower shiitake preferred)
- 3.5 ounces bunashimeji (beech mushrooms) bottom part discarded
- 7 ounces enoki mushrooms bottom part discarded and torn into smaller bundles
- 1/2 head hakusai (napa cabbage) washed and cut into 1 1/2 inch wide pieces
- 9 ounces yaki tofu (broiled tofu) cut into 24 rectangular pieces (can also use regular extra firm tofu)
- 7 ounces shirataki noodles (yam noodles) drained and rinsed
- 7 oz shungiku washed and cut into 4 inch pieces (can also use watercress cresson)
- 18 ounces udon noodles if frozen, cook in boiling water until loosened, remove from heat and soak in iced water to prevent overcooking, drain and transfer to a plate
Instructions
Prepare the Sukiyaki sauce
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sake, mirin and soy sauce. Simmer on low heat.
Cook the Sukiyaki
- Heat a large cast iron pot (such as Le Creuset) on medium heat. When the pot is hot, add the cooking oil.
- Add the sliced beef and sprinkle the brown sugar. Stir and sear the meat. When the beef fat starts to render, add the onion slices.
- Once the meat begins to brown, add the mushrooms. Add equal parts of sukiyaki sauce and dashi to cover the ingredients.
- Add the hakusai. Add equal parts of sukiyaki sauce and dashi to cover the ingredients.
- Add the tofu. Add equal parts of sukiyaki sauce and dashi to cover the ingredients.
- Add the shirataki noodles. Add equal parts of sukiyaki sauce and dashi to cover the ingredients.
- Add the shungiku and pour the rest of the sukiyaki sauce and dashi. Put the lid on the pot and bring to a boil on medium heat, about 15 minutes.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down to low, add salt to taste (or add dashi if the sauce is too salty). You can add the udon now, or after everyone has taken their first serving. Cook until the udon is heated through, and serve.