For about a week, I trained myself to be a Vegan. And in this special day, I was determined not to put all such sacrificial abstinence to waste.
Shabu-Shabu is one of my most favorite food.
Probably the healthiest in the list as well.
Healthy, in the sense that it means eating more vegetables and less grease-laden food.
A favorite, because I get to cook my own food!
From where I live, Healthy Shabu-Shabu located at the third floor of SM The Block is the most convenient place to get a taste of such Japanese hot pot.
Despite the hustle and bustle of the city; moreover, the crowDEADness of the institution that this branch is located, Healthy Shabu-Shabu still managed to keep its serene and oriental ambience.
Probably it was because of the bamboo plants decorated all over the place, or the zen factor. Shiz, I really have no idea. We are not interior designers here. But I could put a little bet that the costliness does contribute to the serene ambience as well.
Not very affordable, but definitely worth the extra cash.
According to one poster there, Gengis Khan had the first and most primitive idea of Shabu-Shabu. It was back in the-something-dynasty (no historians here as well), that he gathered his soldiers in a large pot with a tasty broth, over fire, and they dipped their thinly sliced meat; that way, they saved resources at the same time, gather the nutrients they need for battle.
So what basically is Shabu-Shabu?
They usually provide you with this pot of tasty chicken broth, wherein you submerge:
Cabbage, Pechay, Taro, Corn, Squid Balls, Chicken Balls, Pork Balls, Tofu, Crab Stick, Mushrooms, Noodles
Seafood
and thinly sliced beef (if you are willing to pay the extra price for the extra bold and better texture, go for Wagyu)
You swish them back and forth, over and over again:
Hence the term, Shabu-Shabu (literally, "swish, swish").
The trick is to submerge the hard ingredients for 15 minutes, the moderately thick ingredients for 10 minutes and the meat and seafoods for 5 minutes. Be sure to as well put the noodles lastly. So that they could absorb the flavor that is already contributed by the cooked ingredients in the broth.
Since you basically have your own stove here, you have the control on temperature.
Oh, and I almost forgot! They give you these on the side:
Do not be afraid.
You can mix them all up to produce the exact flavor that you like.
What I usually do is put the egg white on the chicken broth, and the egg yolk on the goma(dipping sauce). I split the spices into two parts as well, half goes to the broth, and the other to the dipping sauce. To add up some spicy note, add the bagoong-looking-thing (I forgot what it was called, I'm sorry).
Also, they say that you can cut-back on Carbs by eating the noodles lastly.
I forgot why. You can Google though.
You could also always add up plain rice.
Although I doubt if you still can. *evil grin*
YAAAAAY! And for such, I believe Gengis Khan is worthy to be called a great leader.
