Step 1

Gather all the ingredients.

Step 2

If you are going to make homemade sauces, follow the recipes for Sesame Sauce and Ponzu Sauce. You can make the sauces ahead of time.

Step 3

Fill a donabe (Dutch oven or any large pot) two-thirds full with water. Add kombu and soak in water for at least 30 minutes. The right image shows the result after 30 minutes.

Step 4

Prepare udon noodles according to the instructions. Put frozen udon in a boiling water and reheat for 1 minute. Transfer to iced water to stop cooking with remaining, and drain well. Serve on a plate and set aside.

Step 5

Cut napa cabbages into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces, and then cut each piece into half or thirds.

Step 6

Cut the shungiku into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces.

Step 7

We only use the white part of negi (green onion/leeks). Cut it diagonally into ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick pieces.

Step 8

Rinse enoki and shimeji mushrooms. Discard the bottom of both mushrooms and separate into smaller chunks.

Step 9

Cut the stem of shiitake mushrooms. If you like, you can do a decorative cutting. See Cutting Technique.

Step 10

Cut the carrot into ¼ inch rounds. If you like, you can use a vegetable cutter to create a flower shape.

Step 11

Cut the tofu into 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick square pieces.

Step 12

Arrange all the ingredients on a serving platter.

Step 13

Peel daikon and grate using a grater. Squeeze grated daikon gently and put in a small bowl.

Step 14

Cut the green onions into thin rounds and put it in a bowl.

Step 15

Prepare shichimi togarashi in a bowl (optional). Lay the thinly sliced beef on a plate.

Step 16

Set a portable gas burner and put the donabe on the stove. Place platters with ingredients on the table. Give each person a ponzu sauce and sesame sauce. I also like to prepare an additional bowl for each person so they can use it to cool the food.

Step 17

Bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat. Take out the kombu right before water starts to boil (otherwise, the water gets slimy).

Step 18

Add the tofu, the tough part of napa cabbage and shungiku, negi, carrots, and some mushrooms. You don’t have to put all the ingredients and cook in batches. Cover to cook for 10 minutes.

Step 19

While you’re waiting for the food to cook, prepare your dipping sauces. Add grated daikon, shichimi togarashi, and green onion in ponzu, and green onion in sesame sauce.

Step 20

When you want to eat meat, pick up a slice of thinly sliced beef with a set of communal chopsticks and stir the meat in the boiling broth to cook for 10 seconds, or until the meat is no longer pink. Do not overcook the meat.

Step 21

Take out the cooked beef and vegetables from the pot when they are done, and dip the food in ponzu or sesame sauce.

Step 22

Add remaining ingredients in the boiling broth as needed and simmer for a few minutes. Skim off the scum and fat from the broth as you repeat cooking. Prepare a fine mesh skimmer and a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl filled with water at the table so you can easily skim as you cook. Water in the measuring cup will help you get rid of scum from the skimmer.

Step 23

When all the ingredients are cooked, skim the broth for udon noodles. Typically, hot pot meal ends with cooking udon noodles or porridge.

Step 24

Add udon noodles in the pot and reheat for 1-2 minutes. Lightly season the udon soup with salt and white pepper, if you like (optional).

Step 25

Dilute the ponzu sauce with the broth and serve udon noodles.