Step 1

Gather all the ingredients.

Step 2

In your donabe (earthenware pot) or a large pot, add 3 cups (720 ml) dashi, ¼ cup (60 ml) sake, and ¼ cup (60 ml) mirin. Cover and bring the soup to a boil on medium heat.

Step 3

Once boiling, add 2 cups (480 ml) warm soy milk. On medium heat, slowly heat up until the soup almost boils. Keep the lid uncovered and stir once in a while. Meanwhile, grind 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds in a pestle and mortar.

Step 4

Once the soup is hot, add ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) miso and ground sesame seeds.

Step 5

Taste the soup and add kosher salt if you like it saltier. Depends on the brands and types of miso, the saltiness of your soup will vary. I recommend making the soup a little bit saltier since you’ll add vegetables that will release water and dilute the soup. Turn off the heat and set aside. Keep it covered.

Step 6

Hot Pot Ingredients: If your meat is not thinly sliced, you have to cut it thinly on your own. See how to do it (picture is thinly sliced beef).

Step 7

Cut off and discard the bottom of enoki mushrooms and shimeji mushrooms.

Step 8

Cut off and discard the shiitake stem. If you like, make a decorative cut on shiitake mushrooms.

Step 9

Cut napa cabbage into 2” (5 cm) pieces widthwise. Then cut into 2-3 pieces lengthwise on the thick and white bottom part of napa cabbage so that it’ll be faster to cook.

Step 10

Cut Mizuna (or spinach) and shungiku into 2” (5 cm) pieces.

Step 11

Cut negi (long green onion or leek) into 1” (2.5 cm) thick pieces diagonally. Thinly slice green onion/scallion.

Step 12

Cut the tofu block into 1” (2.5 cm) slices.

Step 13

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the daikon and carrot thinly as if you are peeling their skin. You can cut these root vegetables into thinly rounds or quarters, but my family loves eating root vegetables in long paper-thin form.

Step 14

Peel the gobo (burdock root) same way as daikon and carrot. Soak the thinly sliced gobo in water for 15 minutes to prevent them from changing color.

Step 15

Put all the vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu in a platter.

Step 16

Start cooking some of the tough/dense vegetables (the tough part of napa cabbage leaves, negi, tofu, mushrooms, daikon, carrot, and gobo) over medium heat, saving some for later batch as well as the leafy vegetables that will cook fast. Cover the lid so it will cook faster. Once the broth is simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low heat so the broth won't curdle. Simmer for 10 minutes, but make sure you won't let it boil. You can either start serving food that’s cooked. Root vegetables take a longer time to cook. Add the meat and leafy vegetables and cover to cook until the meat is no longer pink. Using a fine-mesh skimmer, skim any curdles floating on the soup. You can eat the curdle or discard it.

Step 17

Each person should have a small bowl of ponzu sauce and chopped scallions. Dip the cooked meat and vegetables in ponzu sauce to enjoy! Keep cooking the ingredients in the pot as you enjoy the meal.

Step 18

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and in the freezer for up to a month.