The hot pot and the shabu shabu are two popular dishes that use broth to cook the ingredients. The hot pot or stew is a cooking method that originated in China, while shabu shabu is a staple in Japanese cuisine. The lighter broth in shabu shabu emphasizes the natural flavors of meats and vegetables, unlike the hot pot, where the heavier soup serves as a meal in and of itself. Similarly, the Chinese Xiaolongbao is different from the Japanese gyoza; the hot pot is also very different from the shabu-shabu.
Simply combine the ingredients in a small bowl and enjoy them with your favorite hot pot or shabu shabu dishes. Shabu-shabu is cooked by dipping thinly sliced meat and vegetables in a pot of boiling water or broth, shaking it several times (hence the name) and then removing it to dip it in a sauce before eating it. Traditional Japanese shabu shabu sauces include a ponzu sauce, which is a Japanese citrus sauce, and a sesame sauce. Dipping sauce is probably the most important part of any hot meal or shabu shabu because it can make or break the dish.
Those who like natural flavors, rare or undercooked meat, simple sauces, and a variety of vegetables may prefer shabu-shabu instead of a hot pot. While both dishes usually include leafy greens and mushrooms, shabu shabu usually includes vegetables such as carrots, onions and celery. You can enjoy both dishes at your favorite Chinese restaurant (for a hot pot) and a Japanese restaurant (for the shabu shabu), or you can cook them at home. Some of the most commonly used vegetables for shabu shabu are broccoli, Chinese cabbage, mustard greens, carrots, green onions, bok choy, cabbage and mushrooms.
When comparing Japanese shabu shabu and Chinese stew, it can be said that each dish is unique in terms of complexity and richness of flavor. You can toss all your meat into a hot pot so you can relax in a bubbling cauldron full of treats, or you can pick up and choose your slices with precision similar to that of a shabu-shabu surgery. The vast majority of things in Japan come from China, which explains why shabu-shabu actually has a Chinese name. This is because hot pot broth is usually tastier than shabu-shabu broth; therefore, the components can absorb more flavor.
In addition, hot pot and shabu shabu dishes usually come with a wide variety of sauces, such as sesame sauce and ponzu sauce, among others. That's why it shouldn't surprise you to see a wide variety of dipping sauces along with your favorite hot pot dish or shabu shabu.
