Easy Sukiyaki Recipe
Try Sukiyaki (Japanese Beef Hot Pot) at Home!
Whenever I visit my in-laws in Kyoto, one thing I always enjoy is making and eating sukiyaki. Some sukiyaki ingredients may be a bit hard to find outside of Japan but substituting is fine--every place you go in Japan seems to prepare sukiyaki differently anyway. Here is a basic recipe for sukiyaki that you can experiment with and enjoy. If you try the recipe and enjoy it, or have your own variation that you would like to share, please do so in the comments area below.
(Photo credits. All of the photos on this page, unless otherwise specified were taken by me. Feel free to use them as you wish.)
Simple Sukiyaki Recipe
Try sukiyaki at home
Sukiyaki is a delicious beef and vegetable hot pot meal that is usually eaten in winter. There's something warm and intimate about sharing food from a pot in the middle of the table. The way we eat sukiyaki in Kyoto and the rest of Kansai is very simple.
Ingredients:
- A pound or two of very thinly sliced beef, the more marbled the better
- Tofu (yakidofu, the firm, grilled kind, is better so it doesn't fall apart)
- Shirataki or konnyaku noodles
- Negi (scallions)
Preparation and Serving:
- Cut everything into bite size pieces (the pieces will shrink while cooking, so cut on the large side)
- Mix the soy sauce, sake, and sugar
- Crack an egg into a bowl for each person eating and beat it gently (some people add a little soy sauce)
- Heat some oil, or better yet, tallow (ask for it when you buy the beef)
- Lightly grill the meat
- Add the other ingredients and pour the liquid mixture over the top
- When the food is cooked (don't overdo the meat), take it out a bite at a time, dip it in the egg and enjoy!
- Keep adding food until it's all gone. You'll probably need to add water, more sake, or kombu dashi to the soup as it evaporates.
To Dip or Not to Dip? - Take the poll.
Do you (or would you) dip your sukiyaki in raw egg before eating it?
Cook Sukiyaki at Your Table with this Electric Hot Pot
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Of course you can prepare sukiyaki in the kitchen and serve it at the table, but nothing beats taking the meat and vegetables straight from the simmering pot on the table and popping it right into your mouth. 
Please share your favorite Japanese food, a question about this recipe, another way to make sukiyaki, or even a request for another Japanese recipe.
