Have you ever eaten shabu-shabu from Japan, or 'hot pot' in Chinese cuisine? In Japan alone, this one dish is synonymous with winter because this soup can warm the body. However, in fact, the popularity of shabu-shabu or hot pot in other countries can be eaten at any time regardless the season. Especially in the tropics such as Indonesia, which is often rainy, hot pot dishes can be an option to warm the body.

Making shabu-shabu or hot pot is easy. All you need is the spiced broth and vegetables that are easily found in the refrigerator. Shabu-shabu can be classified as a 'smart cook' dish – a dish that is easy to make.

Simple, easy, and delicious

For this recipe, start with a large wide pot that can hold 2 liters of water, a small gas stove that can be placed in the middle of the dining table, and chopsticks to facilitate dipping and picking up the ingredients. If you are not accustomed to using chopsticks, you can also use a pencapit to dip and pick up food, but chopsticks will be much more practical.

The first step to cooking hot pots is to make a delicious broth. There are three options to make this broth with easy to get ingredients. The first alternative, use chicken or beef stock. Second alternative, you can boil chicken bones, and the third alternative is to experiment with chicken claws. For this last alternative, many say that they managed to get a tasty broth at a cost that is quite economical considering the lower prices of chicken claws.

After choosing one of the three alternatives, boil it in the pot filled with half boiled water and add a few pieces of seaweed chips. Taste the broth as it reveals a close authentic taste of hot pot or shabu-shabu. Once the broth has boiled, turn off the heat, then cook over low heat for about an hour.

Tips: When cooking the broth, if you see a brownish froth floating at the top, try to lift as much froth as possible so that the taste of the broth does not become rancid later.

While waiting for the broth to get done, it is time to prepare the main ingredients, the slices of beef sliced ​​as thin as paper. To easily slice the beef ​​into thin slices, you can put the meat briefly into the freezer before slicing with a sharp knife. Another practical way is to buy a special thinly sliced meat for shabu-shabu ​​in the supermarket. In addition to beef, you can also add chicken, fish, shrimp, and various types of meatballs to your liking.

Next, select the vegetables you want to use in this dish. All types of vegetables can be a hot pot or shabu-shabu. You can use various vegetables. Starting from the mustard greens, pokchoi, spinach, kale, carrots, spring onions, curly lettuce leaves, mushrooms to young corn. Beyond these ingredients, you can also add tofu and egg noodles as additional raw materials.

Tips: In order not to take a lot of time when you start dipping vegetables and other ingredients, prepare the ingredients beforehand. Like slicing wide leaves of mustard greens and pokchoi, carrots sliced ​​thin, and egg noodles boiled first with half-cooked water.

To add to the deliciousness of your cooking, add a dip sauce made from a mixture of soy sauce, minced garlic, and red pepper (or chili if you want a more spicy). If it is too salty, you can mix the sauce with a little water and add enough sugar.

Once ready, all the vegetables, meat, and various other additives are placed on a large plate and place on the dinner table. Then strain the sauce and remove the bone or chicken claws and seaweed chips, your shabu-shabu broth is ready to be enjoyed with your family or friends.