Shabu, Shabu: Japanese Fondue

"... and our dinner party muscles atrophied."

I read that spot-on description of life post baby the year Hudson was born, and it hilariously resonated.  Entertaining can be a sport. A sport I love, but a sport none the less. Given the 100% increase in tiny people at our house this year, our muscles need training, and in recent months I've found just the regime.

Enter Shabu Shabu, or Japanese fondue.  Our guests do the cooking, and everyone wins.

There are four steps to a Japanese fondue party. 1) Make a killer dipping sauce, 2) Flavor a broth, 3) Boil rice noodles and 4) Set out mildly styled veggies and protein on platters.

Below you will see photos of two recent Shabu, Shabu* parties at our house.  I am getting back in shape!

Shabu, Shabu

Ingredients for 4

• Shabu dipping sauce (below)
• Shabu broth (below) 
• 8 oz of rice noodles, boiled per the package, rinsed in cold water and tossed with sesame oil
• Protein, on separate plates to pass around. 10 total pieces of protein a person. A combo of:
• 1/2 block of firm tofu cut up into squares
• 12 cleaned shrimp
• 8 Scallops
• 12 oz Thinly sliced sirloin pieces
• Vegetables
• 1/3 cabbage, loosely chopped
• 4 oz Mushrooms
• 1 head of broccoli, floret-ted

Shabu Dipping Sauce

Modified courtesy of Best Fondue
Combine:

• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
• 1 glove chopped garlic
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp chopped green onions
• Water to loosen

Shabu Broth

Bring the following ingredients to a boil, then simmer for 35 minutes before straining and transfering to a warm fondue pot at the table:

• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 3 spring onions
• 1 diced tomato
• A handful of cilantro
• 2 shallots OR a white onion peeled and quartered
• A few tablespoons of grated ginger

*Shabu, shabu is named after the noise that broth makes while bubbling.  Repeat the name softly and you may just hear it.