We inventoried what we had in the fridge and cupboard and found no fresh mushrooms, no shirataki (yam noodles) or konbu (dried kelp which is seaweed that is essential in making stock). But by then we were already so obsessed with serving this dish at Sunday lunch, so we mustered all our innovative instincts and went to work. We sliced some canned whole mushrooms and got a beef cube, in lieu of the konbu, as the seasoning element for the broth. Success! We had a good shabu-shabu meal.
We beg the forgiveness of authentic Japanese cooks for our transgression, for infusing into their old traditional recipe some non-Japanese ingredients. So here goes the recipe. You need one pack of the sliced meat, half a head of cabbage (cut into small strips), one large bean curd (squared), eight pieces whole mushrooms (each cut into four), a bunch of green onions (cut two inch long), 30 gms vermicelli (soaked, which we used instead of the yam noodles), one beef cube, two tablespoons Kikkoman soy sauce, one level tablespoon sesame seeds, one tablespoon white wine vinegar and one tablespoom sugar. Boil six cups of water with the cube. When boiling, add the bean curd and green onions. When it comes to full boil, add the beef and continue to cook. We made another innovation: instead of a separate dip, we poured the soy sauce, white wine vinegar, and added the sesame seeds and sugar. When the beef started to cook, we added the cabbage and noodles over low fire. This must be allowed to simmer until everything is done, then voila! there’s the shabu-shabu! Serve hot.
We would like to make a suggestion, however, to the supplier: the beef strips could be sliced even more thinly so it would not take too much time to tenderize. The family enjoyed our meal, and indeed Japanese cuisine is one of the lightest there is. Made flavorful by fresh ingredients (this beef was really fresh, keeping its natural flavor in taste and smell) with the barest of garnishing. And as we discovered from this one adventure, Japanese cuisine is easy to prepare, if one is not so fussy about substituting available ingredients.
Over at Barrio Ugong, Pasig, we re-visited Barcino Gourmet (Wines Cava and Delicatessen) on the second floor of City Golf Plaza on Julia Vargas Avenue. The place has changed ownership and management, now a duo of young Spanish señoritos, Sergy and Daniel, both from Catalan, with the assistance of our friend Ricky. They make up the new team. The place is both a wine cellar and a dining place, the latter served from the Seis Sabores commissary under the brand Home Meals. That lunchtime, caught by a heavy downpour, we worked up an appetite for the authentic Iberian offerings complemented by the robust red wine. Classic dishes are served everyday with prices much lower than in some Spanish restaurants. The paella, cooked with fresh tomatoes and not so sour tomato sauce with saffron is good for two, but four can share (as we did), at P375. The creamy Fabada Asturiana is at P150, Lengua Estofada Sevillana for P240 and Callos ala Madrilena for P210. They carry the Valformosa line of wines and cavas, from the fruity Vina Bruna, Vina Rosada and Brut. The deli also has Manchego cheese, a delectable match for chorizos to make a pica-pica plate, at P2,000 a kilo. But you need not get the big chunk. Chistoria sausage is also sold, at P800 a kilo. Happily we found our favorite spread, Sobrasada, in two sizes, P325 and P650. This is perfect to spread on bread, melting as the bread gets toasted.
Have good Sunday with the family.