Mille-Feuille Nabe

Mille-Feuille Nabe, also known as “layered hot pot,” is a Japanese hot pot dish that’s visually stunning and delicious. It’s called “mille-feuille” because of the way the ingredients are layered in the pot, resembling the layers of a French pastry. Here’s how you can make Mille-Feuille Nabe at home:

Ingredients:

Thinly sliced ingredients like pork, beef, chicken, tofu, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, etc.

Nabe broth or dashi (Japanese broth)

Soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine), and sake (Japanese rice wine) for seasoning

Shabu-shabu dipping sauces like ponzu (citrus-soy dipping sauce)

Optional toppings: green onions, sesame seeds, grated daikon radish

Instructions:

Prepare Ingredients: Prepare an assortment of thinly sliced ingredients like meat, vegetables, and tofu. Arrange them neatly on separate plates.

Prepare Nabe Broth: Heat your nabe pot (hot pot) and add the nabe broth or dashi. You can make your own broth or buy a pre-made one from the store.

Season the Broth: Season the broth with soy sauce, mirin, and sake to taste. The ratios can vary, but a common mixture is around 1 tablespoon of each.

Layer the Ingredients: Start layering the ingredients in the pot, similar to how you would layer a mille-feuille pastry. Begin with a layer of ingredients that take longer to cook, like cabbage and carrots. Then add a layer of meat, followed by another layer of vegetables. Continue layering until the pot is filled.

Cook the Ingredients: Place the pot over a portable stove or a table-top burner. Let the ingredients simmer in the broth. As the ingredients cook, you can use chopsticks or utensils to gently mix and cook them in the broth.

Dipping Sauces: While the ingredients are cooking, prepare shabu-shabu dipping sauces like ponzu (a citrus-soy dipping sauce) for a flavorful accompaniment to the cooked ingredients.

Serve: Once the ingredients are cooked to your liking, use a ladle or a mesh scoop to serve the cooked ingredients into individual bowls. Each person can then dip their cooked ingredients into their chosen dipping sauce before eating.

Optional Toppings: Garnish the cooked ingredients with green onions, sesame seeds, and grated daikon radish if desired.

Mille-Feuille Nabe is not only delicious but also an interactive and communal dining experience. It’s a great way to gather friends and family around the table to enjoy a warming and flavorful meal together. The layers of ingredients create a beautiful presentation that’s sure to impress!