Shabu-shabu is one of those meals that feels like a special occasion even on a Tuesday night — a bubbling pot at the center of the table, everyone cooking their own bites, the whole thing equal parts dinner and event. The broth here is built from bone broth and kombu steeped with fresh ginger and scallion, which means every sip is deeply savory and completely clean, with no mystery flavor packets or bottled shortcuts in sight. That matters more than it sounds, because conventional shabu-shabu sauces and broths are notorious for hiding synthetic additives behind vague "natural flavor" labels. The dipping sauce swaps the usual soy for coconut aminos brightened with fresh lemon, orange juice, and grated ginger — tangy, a little sweet, and genuinely complex without a single artificial ingredient to worry about. Paper-thin ribeye swished through the simmering broth for barely thirty seconds comes out silky and tender, while napa cabbage, shiitake, enoki, and zucchini soak up all that fragrant depth. It's an interactive, communal dinner that happens to be one of the cleanest, most ingredient-honest versions of the dish you'll find anywhere.
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2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces (green tops only for lower fodmap; white parts fine for aip)
1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
For the hot pot
1 ½ lb beef ribeye or sirloin, sliced paper-thin (about 1/16 inch; ask your butcher or partially freeze and slice yourself)
½ small napa cabbage (about 4 cups), cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal, ¼ inch thick
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
4 oz enoki mushrooms, root end trimmed, separated into small clusters
1 bunch watercress or baby bok choy, trimmed
For the dipping sauce
¼ cup coconut aminos
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
For serving
1 scallion, green top only, thinly sliced (optional)
1 tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
1
Combine the bone broth, water, kombu, sliced ginger, and scallion pieces in a large pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and steep for 15 minutes, until the broth is fragrant and lightly savory.
2
Use a fine-mesh strainer to remove and discard the kombu, ginger, and scallion pieces. Season the broth with 1 tsp fine sea salt, taste, and adjust. Transfer the pot to a portable burner set at the table, or keep it on the stovetop over low heat — the broth should stay at a gentle simmer throughout the meal.
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