🧂 Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 1 piece dried kelp (dashima), ~3x3 inches
- 5 dried anchovies (heads and guts removed)
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 2 scallion stalks
- salt
- 1 lb thinly sliced beef ribeye or brisket (shabu-shabu cut)
- ½ lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on optional)
- ½ lb scallops, cleaned and rinsed
- 1 cup squid rings or baby squid, cleaned
- 1 cup fish cakes, sliced
- 2 cups napa cabbage, cut into wide strips
- 1 cup spinach or chrysanthemum greens
- 1 cup perilla leaves
- 1 small bunch enoki mushrooms
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- ½ small Korean radish (mu), thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, thinly sliced
- 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 block tofu, sliced
- 1 bundle glass noodles (dangmyeon)
- 1 pack udon noodle
- 1 pack ramen noodle
- Soy Vinegar Sauce (Cho-ganjang):
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- chopped garlic and green onion
- Ssamjang
- 1 tbsp doenjang
- ½ tbsp gochujang
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- ½ tsp minced garlic
- Sesame Ginger Dipping Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp finely minced garlic
- 1 tsp sugar or honey
- 1 tbsp finely chopped green onion
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp mirin
- a pinch of Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
📖 Instructions
🍲 Make the Broth:
Add all broth ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil.
6 cups water
1 piece dried kelp (dashima), ~3x3 inches
5 dried anchovies (heads and guts removed)
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 small onion, quartered
2 scallion stalks
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove solids and season lightly with salt to taste.
Pour broth into a tabletop hot pot or portable burner setup.
🥬 Prep the Ingredients:
Arrange the vegetables, tofu, noodles, and beef neatly on large platters for easy access.
🥢 Build Your Flavor Arsenal: The Dipping Sauces
In shabu shabu, the real magic happens after the dip. The broth cooks your ingredients, but the sauce brings them to life. Each sauce is a flavor bomb — savory, spicy, nutty, tangy — and they’re insanely easy to whip up. Here’s how to make your dipping game unforgettable:
🍯 Soy Vinegar Sauce (Cho-ganjang):
2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, ½ tsp sugar, ½ tsp sesame oil, chopped garlic and green onion
🍯 Ssamjang:
1 tbsp doenjang, ½ tbsp gochujang, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp honey or sugar, ½ tsp minced garlic
🍯 Sesame Ginger Dipping Sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 tsp finely minced garlic, 1 tsp sugar or honey, 1 tbsp finely chopped green onion, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, 1 tsp mirin or a splash of water (to mellow the saltiness), a pinch of Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) or a few drops of chili oil for heat.
🍯 Ponzu Sauce:
3 tbsp ponzu (store-bought or homemade)
🍽 Shabu Shabu Time!
Bring the broth to a gentle simmer at the table.
Each person uses chopsticks or tongs to swish beef slices in the hot broth (shabu-shabu means “swish-swish”) until just cooked — about 10–15 seconds.
Cook vegetables and tofu in the broth, adding them in batches.
Dip items into your sauce of choice and eat with a bowl of rice or wrapped in perilla leaves.
🍚 Noodle or Porridge Finish:
After the main meal, use the rich, flavored broth to cook:
Noodles: Add soaked glass noodles or udon and boil for a few minutes.
Rice Porridge (Juk): Add cooked rice, a beaten egg, and chopped green onion (add sesame oil to give smoky depth). Simmer until thickened.
📝 Tips
Use a portable burner or induction cooktop at the table for an authentic, interactive experience.
Don’t overcrowd the pot — cook in small batches.
Adjust heat frequently to keep broth at a gentle simmer.