The Global Kitchen: Japanese Sukiyaki

This past weekend I had a great evening with friends and of course food! We were introduced to an incredible international dish originating from Japan...Sukiyaki. It was SOOO good! What I loved about this dish is you can really use whatever you like...it you are not overly found of mushrooms, don't use them. If you love your leafy greens...load them up. The noodles really added to the dish I think but it was also very good on rice. The whole experience was just a lot of fun and a unique way of experiencing food from another culture.

Sukiyaki is prepared and served in the nabemono (Japanese hot pot) style. The main ingredients are meat (usually thin sliced beef or pork), vegetables, soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. The meat is slowly cooked or simmered at the table, alongside vegetables, and other ingredients, in a shallow iron pot in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. Traditionally, the ingredients are usually dipped in a small bowl of raw beaten eggs after being cooked in the pot, and then eaten. 

                 

Generally, sukiyaki is a winter dish, and it is commonly found at year end parties.

Other popular ingredients to use are tofu, Negi (a type of scallion), leafy vegetables like cabbage, mushrooms, and glass noodles.

There are two styles one is the Kanto style where you simmer the meat and veggies in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and dashi (this is the way we made it). There is also the Kansai style where the meat is heated first then the rest of the ingredients are added.

Sukiyaki is usually cooked in a cast iron pot over a portable butane stove at the dining table. If you don't have a portable stove though you can always cook/simmer it on the stove, then transfer it to the table to eat afterwards.                               

Link for a recipe can be found at: http://www.karmanfoods.com/blogs/blogs/one-pot-kanto-style-sukiyaki-recipe

The recipe that we used was: 1 part mirin, 1 part soy sauce, one part water, 2 TBSP brown sugar mixed and heated in a pot. Add onions, Napa cabbage, thinly sliced beef or pork, tofu, shitake mushrooms, or any other vegetables. Add noodles at the very end. You can also make white rice and put over rice.

Upcoming Global Kitchen will feature cuisine from the country of Israel as we celebrate Passover!