This is a Japanese type of 'Steamboat' cooking. Shabu-shabu* is easy and fun - it just takes lots of preparation. You cook it all together in the centre of a table - so you need some sort of appliance that can sit in the centre of a table and keep water hot. We use our electric wok - you could use a camp stove (if you're brave), an electric frypan or an electric hotplate.

You will need a really sharp knife!

You can get all the ingredients at Woolworths¹, except for the ones in brackets, which are alternatives from Asian food stores.

For the base:

• 2 chicken stock cubes (Dashi stock if you have it)
• Lots of boiling water (at least 8 cups)
• Ingredients to 'swish-swish'
• Spring Onions, chopped
• Onion, chopped lengthwise in 1cm-wide strips
• Enoki mushrooms, divided into 5-6 pieces
• Shitaki mushrooms, cut into quarters
• Cabbage-head chopped into 5cm X 1cm pieces
• Tofu, cut into 2cm x 3cm pieces
• Beef (we cut up a 0.5kg topside roast, but use sirloin or scotch fillet if you like)
• 3 carrots cut into thin, long pieces

Ingredients for dipping sauce:

Brown Sauce (or buy Mitsukan shabu-shabu sauce):

• Soy sauce and lemon juice mixed in a 2:1 ratio

Sesame Sauce (or buy Mitsukan shabu-shabu sauce):

• 1/2 jar of Tahini
• 1/2 cup light (Japanese) soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Mirin (sweet sherry)
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• Water to make the consistency of a smooth paste

Step 1: Make the Sauce

• Brown Sauce: Use soy and either fresh lemon juice or bottled juice in a 2:1 ratio
• Sesame Sauce: Mix the tahini with soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Use warm water to get the paste to a commercial tomato sauce²-like consistency.

Step 2: Chop the meat

This is the back-breaking bit. It's much easier if the meat is partially frozen³

Cut the meat into amazingly thin pieces. In good Japanese restaurants you can almost see through them. 0.5cm works; 0.75cm does not.

Step 3: Chop the Vegetables

Step 4: Arrange attractively on a large platter

Step 5: Have guests come in and check them for chopstick dexterity⁴

Put some sauce in your bowl. We recommend trying each sauce individually and then mixing the two together in your preferred ratio.

Have your wok/steamboat/pot with the chicken stock boiling hard.

Pick up some meat with your chopsticks and swish it through the boiling water. Be careful not to lose it if you are the host (it undermines the guests' confidence). 'Swish-swish-swish' the meat and then dip it in your sauce and eat.

Use kitchen tongs if chopsticks are too difficult.

Swish the veggies. After everyone has had some meat stick some veggies in to cook (the cabbage and carrot sometimes don't swish well). Try swishing through the mushrooms, spring onions and the tofu.

After all the food's gone you can add in a packet of Udon noodles and an egg, swish them around and drink the stock/soup as noodle soup.