[Meenuh]

So I went to go eat shabu shabu with my bf the other day. He's had it only like 3 times and i've never had it. I didn't know wth anything was or what I was supposed to put in what and he wasn't much help either. In any case, it wasn't that good to me. It was just okay. Nothing special ( no offense to anyone that really really likes it ). So i'm starting to think maybe I ate it wrong? So is there a correct way youre supposed to eat it ? How in the world do you eat shabu shabu?

Sorry if there's a topic like this already.

[youre sexy <3]

uh...

you put the meat, veggies, etc. in the pot of boiling broth...and when it's done, you take the food out and dip it in sauce and eat it?

[Meenuh]

uh...

you put the meat, veggies, etc. in the pot of boiling broth...and when it's done, you take the food out and dip it in sauce and eat it?

So you don't put anything in the water itself? The broth didn't even taste like anything. Blah I guess It's not as good as I thought it would've been then.

[Gullwings]

lol I love shabu shabu ~ it tastes great XD

[Azngel]

the broth should start out with some flavor but nothing over powering b/c at the end of your shabu-ing, your broth should be super flavorful cos of all the meat and veggies you cooked in it.

hot pot using just plain water would not taste good. i usually use canned chicken broth. some people put in miso paste for initial flavoring.

everything is important in hot potting: the broth, the meats, the veggies, and the dipping sauce.

i like to eat it with:
nappa cabbage
tofu
fish balls
sliced beef
sliced lamb
enoki mushroom
shitake mushrooms
shrimp
clams/mussels
fish slices
squid
spinach
snow pea tips
rice cakes/udon

i make my dipping sauce out of a mixture of srirachi sauce and hoisin sauce. korean gochujang is a good dipping sauce as well. or you can purchase pre-made sauces. peanut butter is a good addition to make your sauce taste creamy

[jl101]

I just had it last night lol

there isnt a specific way to eat it, you just dump veggies and meat and when they're cooked, take them out and enjoy.

if the broth didnt taste like anything...then i guess the place you went to wasnt very good haha

[mintiefresh]

well, theres usually sauces for you to dip after the meat or whatever is cooked... you don't usually drink the broth.. well atleast i don't

[IlikeChicken]

So you don't put anything in the water itself? The broth didn't even taste like anything. Blah I guess It's not as good as I thought it would've been then.

Broth didn't taste like anything? Lol you probably went to a really cheap/sucky place or something, because I remember when I went it, it had a slightly mildish taste to it. You should have asked one of the waiters

[baoi]

you can buy like different style broth .. my shabu place has KimChee, TomYum, and something else broth

[vip_gd]

maybe the broth has no flavor or something
you could've probably dip your food in soy sauce or something

[elevatormusic]

the meat and vegetables should flavor the broth, and the meat should be sliced very thinly. if it wasn't then you went to a cheap place. shabushabu meat is mostly known for having thin meat that cooks instantly in the broth.
then you dip it in the sauce. the sauce is usually soy sauce mixed with raw egg, so when you dip hot food in the sauce, the raw egg should cook around it.

it's just meat and vegetables. if you dont like meat and vegetables than it might not taste that good.

[nanshi]

There's no real "correct" way to eat Shabu Shabu. But if you went to a bad place, they might not have a large assortment of foods for "cooking." I've always enjoyed it because it's simple, DIY, and customizable. And all-you-can-eat~!! (well, the places I go to generally are).

Some people just don't like the idea of dipping/cooking (like fondues) and would rather have it brought to the table (I have a friend who just gets lost at Mongolian grills). The cool thing about shabu shabu is that it's totally customizable, right down to the dipping sauce(s). Did you use a dipping sauce? that usually has the largest effect on whether or not it was good shabu shabu. In Taiwan (and other Chinese places, I'm assuming), we use a special dipping sauce that's called "sha cha jiang" or Chinese barbecue sauce. SOO YUMMY and I think THAT's what makes shabu shabu (aka: hotpot) really yummy.

The key to having a great time with shabu shabu (no matter where you go) is to start with a good base. If the meat is sliced properly for shabu shabu, it should be thin and should cook very quickly. As a base (when we eat nabe/hoptpot at home), my mom always lays down nappa cabbage, tofu, fish balls, and other veggies (taro, radish, etc) first in the broth (which should be flavored mildly with chicken stock). And then lets that come to a boil before putting in anything else. That gives the broth a little more flavor, and plus those things take awhile long to cook anyways. So whenever I go out to eat shabu shabu, that's how I do it too (habit I guess)... If you're putting in shrimp, I recommend you do that last because it colors your broth a nasty orangeish color that just looks very unappealing. Calamari and squid are fine, fish is a little tricky because if it's not fresh it can lend a raw taste to your broth (not pleasant).

[Meenuh]

Yeah I used the dipping sauce. I guess I just didn't really like it. The meat was thinly sliced and what not. I guess I was expecting the broth to be full of flavor but it wasn't really. It was okay not great but okay. I don't think the place I went to was a bad place cause they always have people there and you have to wait to eat there. Lol they even take roll call to make sure everyone that has their name on the list is there or else they cross you off. Haha.

I guess the main reason why I didn't really like it was because of the meat. I know what kind of meat it is I don't know what it's called in english but I know the name in Korean. We use that meat in our korean bbq and I like it cooked like that instead of boiled. But like I said I guess I was mainly expecting the broth to have a lot of flavor rather than really having to use the dipping sauce since I rarely ever really use any dipping sauces in anything I eat. Lol.

[V A L XD]

Go to a hight end place.
I like to think of as a Japanese verison of Hot Pot =]

[Swtess]

^ It is the japanese version of hot pot.

They're all basically hot pot just different names however people want to call it

[Azura]

something very similar to chinese steamboat but i preferred Shabu Shabu much better

[Aerolite]

I don't really find Shabu Shabu all that intriguing or good. I don't like that it's expensive and that it's basically just soup that you cook on your own. I'd rather go get Korean BBQ if I had to pay that much to cook my own food.

[mintcracker]

so this is the japanese version of huo guo aka hot pot right?

[gal-bi]

I LOVE IT !! <3

anyway...
the "water" should have flavour to it rather than be just... plain water

and you just put stuff in until it is cooked and then eat it.

[___orangelicious]

hahaha omgsh MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY LAST NIGHT..
the soup base was...just water and green onions.
So we spiced it up with soy sauce?!
:S

I prefer chinese hot pot, mmmm
Spicy broth or the coconut and cheese one or satay. Delish