Shabu-Shabu (Japanese Swish-Swish Hot Pot)
Paper-thin slices of beef and pork swished for a few seconds in a gently bubbling kombu broth with vegetables and tofu, then dipped in tangy ponzu or creamy sesame sauce.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Soak the kombu
In a wide pot (about 24 cm / 9 in across, at least 2 litres capacity), soak the in the water for 30 minutes so it releases its flavour.
- 1 piece (10 × 10 cm)
- 1.5 litres water
✅ Done when: the water turns pale amber and smells faintly of the sea
Make the sesame sauce
Whisk the sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar with the extra water until smooth and pourable. Pour the sauces into separate small bowls and top the bowls with half the spring onions.
- 4 tbsp sesame paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2-3 tbsp water
- 90 ml sauce
- 1 spring onion
✅ Done when: the sauce is smooth and coats a spoon
Heat the broth
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Swish and dip
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Finish with udon
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Soak the kombu
In a wide pot (about 24 cm / 9 in across, at least 2 litres capacity), soak the in the water for 30 minutes so it releases its flavour.
- 1 piece (10 × 10 cm)
- 1.5 litres water
✅ Done when: the water turns pale amber and smells faintly of the sea
Make the sesame sauce
Whisk the sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar with the extra water until smooth and pourable. Pour the sauces into separate small bowls and top the bowls with half the spring onions.
- 4 tbsp sesame paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2-3 tbsp water
- 90 ml sauce
- 1 spring onion
✅ Done when: the sauce is smooth and coats a spoon
Heat the broth
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Swish and dip
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Finish with udon
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The Story Behind the Dish
Shabu-shabu was popularised in Osaka in the 1950s, inspired by Chinese hot pots. The name imitates the sound of the meat being swished through the broth.
Unlike sukiyaki, the broth is very light, so the flavour comes from the quality of the meat and the dipping sauces.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Light, interactive and fun to share, it lets beautiful ingredients speak for themselves.
💡 Fun Fact
The udon or rice cooked in the broth at the end, called shime, is many people's favourite part of the meal.
Osaka
34.69°N, 135.50°E
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