How to make it
7 steps. Take it one step at a time.
Mix the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar together
In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar together until the sugar is mostly dissolved. This is your 'warishita' sauce.
Cut the grilled tofu
Cut the grilled tofu into 3cm cubes. Diagonally slice the leeks. Remove shiitake stems and score the caps for presentation. Trim the enoki mushrooms and cut shungiku into 5cm lengths. Blanch shirataki noodles in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and cut into manageable lengths.
Heat a sukiyaki pot
Heat a sukiyaki pot (or a shallow heavy-bottomed cast iron pan) over medium heat. Rub the beef suet over the surface to grease the pan well.
Place a few slices of beef
Place a few slices of beef in the pan and sear them briefly. Pour a little warishita sauce over the beef.
Push the beef to one side
Push the beef to one side. Add the tofu, leeks, mushrooms, shirataki, and more sauce. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the flavors are absorbed.
10 minAdd the shungiku last
Add the shungiku last and cook for just a minute until wilted. Add remaining beef slices as needed, simmering them in the sauce.
2 minServe immediately from the pot
Serve immediately from the pot. Crack a fresh egg into individual small bowls and whisk lightly; dip the hot ingredients into the egg before eating.
A little kitchen wisdom
To keep the beef tender, avoid placing it directly next to the shirataki noodles in the pot, as the calcium in the noodles can cause the meat to toughen. In Japan, Sukiyaki is traditionally served with a small bowl of beaten raw egg used as a dipping sauce to mellow the flavors and add richness.
