Sukiyaki

Preparation

1. Step 1

   In a small saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Carefully pour into a medium bowl or measuring cup and stir in dashi powder until fully dissolved.

2. Step 2

   Make the warishita sauce: Using the same saucepan, add the mirin, soy sauce, sake and brown sugar. Whisk until sugar is combined and bring to a simmer over medium heat, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.

3. Step 3

   Peel the burdock root and cut it into two segments if it is long. Each piece should be about 6 inches long. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly shave off pieces to create ribbons. Place the ribbons in a bowl of cold water.

4. Step 4

   In a 9-inch donabe or large (4-quart) heavy-bottomed pot over low heat, add the sliced beef. Cook until the beef turns gray-ish and there’s a good amount of fat in the donabe, about 5 minutes. (Depending on how fatty the beef is, the amount of fat might vary; if it is less than 1 tablespoon, make up the difference with unsalted butter.) Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of the warishita sauce. Flip the beef and cook the other side for an additional minute. Using tongs or chopsticks, transfer the beef to a medium bowl. Add the scallion whites to the donabe and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.

5. Step 5

   Ladle or pour in the hot dashi broth and increase the heat to medium. Scrape up any brown bits with a wooden spoon. Once the broth reaches a simmer, scatter the cabbage in an even layer. Drain the shaved burdock root and discard the water. On top of the cabbage, add the enoki mushrooms, pressing down and slightly overlapping, if necessary. Add the shiitake mushrooms, chrysanthemum greens, burdock, tofu and shirataki noodles in individual sections, leaving a small gap in the center for the beef to be added later. Drizzle with ¼ cup of the warishita sauce and cover with a lid. Simmer until mushrooms are softened, greens have wilted and tofu is warmed through, about 6 minutes. Remove the lid and nestle the beef slices and any of their collected juices in the center. Simmer, uncovered, until the beef is fully cooked, about 2 minutes.

6. Step 6

   Transfer the sukiyaki to a trivet on the dining table. Scatter scallion greens on top. Divide the remaining warishita sauce evenly into smaller bowls for dipping. Crack the eggs into individual serving bowls for each guest to break the yolk and use as an additional dipping sauce.

7. Step 7

   If using udon, add the noodles to the donabe when most of the beef and vegetables have been eaten, returning the broth to a boil. When noodles are warmed through, divide among individual bowls and drizzle with additional warishita sauce, if desired.