In this article, I’d like to talk about Sukiyaki. “Sukiyaki” is one of the well-known Japanese words even abroad.
It’s one of my favorite dishes, and while living abroad, it was one of the Japanese foods I always had whenever I returned to Japan for holidays.
Please read on till the end!
What is Sukiyaki? How to eat it?
I am not sure about a precise definition, but Sukiyaki generally involves cooking thinly sliced beef, vegetables, and other ingredients in a special soy-based sauce. The basic way to eat it is to dip the cooked ingredients in raw beaten egg, but if you’re not fond of raw egg, you can skip it.
If you’re curious about the raw egg culture, please read below linked article!
For Japanese people, Sukiyaki is not an everyday dish but rather something we enjoy on special occasions or family gathering. There’s a wide range of Sukiyaki restaurants, from budget-friendly ones to high-end establishments.
Ingredients
Apart from sliced beef, there are no fixed rules for the ingredients, but the following items are commonly used:
- Negi (Japanese leeks)
- Shiitake mushrooms (or other types of mushrooms like Enoki or Shimeji)
- Tofu
- Shirataki (konjac noodles)
- Hakusai (Nappa cabbage)
- Shungiku (chrysanthemum greens) – some may find it bitter.
You can buy already-made Sukiyaki sauce at supermarkets, or you can make your own from the Dashi (broth), soy sauce, sugar, Mirin, etc.
After finishing the main course, it’s common to use the remaining sauce to make a flavorful rice dish called “Zosui” or enjoy it with Udon noodles!
Types of Sukiyaki Restaurants
In Japan, I think Sukiyaki restaurants can generally be divided into two types:
High-end Restaurants
In high-end restaurants, you can enjoy excellent Sukiyaki made with premium Japanese beef. The price per person can be around 10,000 yen or more. The distinctive feature is that the staff prepares everything right in front of you, so all you need to do is to enjoy the beautifully cooked Sukiyaki made by the professionals.
They may start by grilling negi (Japanese leeks) in beef fat to bring out the aroma before cooking the meat. You can enjoy a delicious Sukiyaki, which involves the additional process not often done in regular households
Budget-Friendly Restaurants
The other type is more budget-friendly. Depending on the restaurant, you can enjoy Sukiyaki for 5,000 yen or less. In these places, a large plate with vegetables and meat is served, and the customers cook the ingredients by themselves in a communal pot. You’ll get to boil the vegetables and meat in a large pot, then enjoy the dish. Some restaurants even offer all-you-can-eat options!
Where to try Sukiyaki
There are numerous Sukiyaki restaurants all over Japan, so you can enjoy delicious Sukiyaki wherever you go. Here, I’d like to introduce a restaurant I visit on special occasions! During my time abroad, I always made a point to visit this restaurant whenever I returned home.
Imahan
Imahan is a renowned Sukiyaki and Shabu-Shabu restaurant with locations primarily in Tokyo. You can find it in Ginza, Nihonbashi, Shinjuku, Yokohama, and many other major stations. It offers an authentic Japanese ambiance, and the hospitality of the staff makes it a delightful place to enjoy with all your senses. They even have private rooms, making it suitable for special occasions and business entertainment. Although it falls under the category of high-end restaurants I mentioned earlier, it’s an exceptional place you’d definitely want to visit on a special occasion.
Tips
Finally, let me share some Sukiyaki trivia. Knowing these will make you quite the Japanese food aficionado!
Don’t Cook the Meat When It’s Cold
To achieve beautifully sliced beef with a slicer, restaurants often cut the meat when it’s at lower temperature. Some restaurants slice it in advance and store it in the refrigerator. As a result, the meat may be served cold.
In such a case, if possible, wait a few minutes for the meat to warm up closer to room temperature before cooking it. Cooking cold meat can cause it to become tough.
Keep the Shirataki (Konjac Noodles) Separate from the Meat
Shirataki is an important ingredient in Sukiyaki in general, but it actually hardens the meat when they touch. To fully enjoy the texture of the meat, it’s best to cook the Shirataki and meat separately in the pot.
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Thank you for reading this article!
If you have the opportunity to visit Japan, please do try Sukiyaki!
