Name: Chilled Pork Shabu-Shabu with Herbs
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: 250g thinly sliced pork loin; 2 eggplants; 10 shiso leaves; 3 myoga ginger (approx. 50g); 30g ginger; 2 tbsp nikiri mirin (boiled-off mirin; starts as 3 tbsp mirin); 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar (approx. 7.5ml); 1 tsp chili oil (approx. 5ml); 1 tsp sesame oil (approx. 5ml); 1 tbsp ground white sesame seeds (approx. 7g)

About "Chilled Pork Shabu-Shabu with Herbs"

This is a chilled shabu-shabu dish featuring pork loin and eggplant. By slowly poaching the pork at a low temperature of 80°C (176°F), it turns out incredibly juicy and tender. The eggplant is coated in sesame oil and microwaved to keep its vibrant color. Combined with aromatic herbs like shiso leaves, myoga ginger, and ginger, and tossed in a rich sesame sauce, this dish is so refreshing it will stimulate your appetite even on hot summer days.

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Tips for Making "Chilled Pork Shabu-Shabu with Herbs"

Water Temp
- Poaching the pork in water cooled to 80°C (176°F) instead of 100°C (212°F) prevents moisture loss, keeping the meat moist and tender.
Adding Pork
- Gently spreading out the pork slices and cooking them slowly over 30 seconds ensures even heating and prevents them from toughening.
Cooling Pork
- Letting the cooked pork cool naturally on a tray covered with plastic wrap instead of shocking it in water prevents drying and retains moisture.
Eggplant Color
- Coating the eggplant with sesame oil before microwaving raises the surface temperature quickly, preserving its beautiful, vibrant purple color.
Even Cooking
- Flipping the eggplant over halfway through microwaving (around 1.5 minutes) ensures even heat distribution.
Herb Prep
- Soaking the shiso, myoga, and ginger in water and changing it multiple times removes bitterness, prevents discoloration, and ensures a refreshing taste.
Myoga Prep
- Halving the myoga lengthwise and cutting out the core diagonally allows you to julienne it beautifully.
Nikiri Mirin
- Microwave 3 tbsp of mirin at 500W for 1.5 minutes to cook off the alcohol, yielding 2 tbsp of nikiri mirin.

Ingredients for "Chilled Pork Shabu-Shabu with Herbs"

11 items

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250gthinly sliced pork loin
2eggplants
10shiso leaves
3myoga ginger (approx. 50g)
30gginger
2tbsp nikiri mirin (boiled-off mirin; starts as 3 tbsp mirin)
2tbsp soy sauce
1/2tbsp rice vinegar (approx. 7.5ml)
1tsp chili oil (approx. 5ml)
1tsp sesame oil (approx. 5ml)
1tbsp ground white sesame seeds (approx. 7g)

How to Make "Chilled Pork Shabu-Shabu with Herbs"

1
Cut off the stems of the shiso leaves, cut them in half lengthwise, and julienne. Halve the myoga ginger lengthwise, cut out the core diagonally, and julienne both the core and the outer layers. Peel the ginger, slice thinly, and julienne.
2
Place the shiso, myoga, and ginger in a bowl of water to remove any bitterness. Change the water about 3 times, then drain in a colander.
3
Place 3 tbsp of mirin in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 500W for 1.5 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
4
Transfer the heated mirin to a bowl, add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp chili oil, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds, and mix well to make the sesame sauce.
5
Bring a pot of water to a boil, turn off the heat, and let the temperature drop to 80°C (176°F).
6
Gently spread out the sliced pork loin and add them to the water one piece at a time, cooking them slowly over 30 seconds.
7
Remove the cooked pork from the water. Do not shock in ice water; instead, arrange them on a tray, cover with plastic wrap, and let them cool naturally.
8
Cut off the stems of the 2 eggplants, and poke a bamboo skewer or chopstick deep into them to make holes.
9
Place the eggplants on a sheet of plastic wrap, drizzle with a little sesame oil, and coat them thoroughly using your hands.
10
Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and microwave at 600W for 3 to 4 minutes, flipping them over halfway through (around 1.5 minutes).
11
Immediately plunge the heated eggplants into ice water to cool, then pat the surface dry with a paper towel.
12
Tear the cooled pork into bite-sized pieces with your hands and place them in a bowl.
13
Tear the cooled eggplant into bite-sized strips by hand and add them to the bowl with the pork.
14
Pour a generous amount of the sesame sauce over the ingredients and gently toss everything together using chopsticks.
15
Plate the pork and eggplant along with the sauce, and top generously with the well-drained herbs (shiso, myoga, and ginger).
16
Garnish with white sesame seeds to taste, and serve.

Food Science

Why This Dish Tastes So Good

Cooking pork at a low temperature of 80°C (176°F) prevents rapid protein coagulation and dehydration, preserving its juicy and tender texture. Additionally, the sauce achieves a deep, well-rounded flavor by balancing the five tastes: saltiness and umami from the soy sauce, sweetness from the mirin, acidity from the vinegar, and spiciness from the chili oil. Finally, the refreshing aroma and mild heat of the herbs tie the entire dish together.

Temperature & Heat ReactionBalance of Five/Six Tastes

Detailed Commentary on "Chilled Pork Shabu-Shabu with Herbs"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Prepping the Aromatic Herbs

We start by preparing the aromatic herbs that bring out the refreshing flavor of this dish. We will use 10 shiso leaves, 3 myoga ginger (approx. 50g), and 30g of peeled ginger. First, cut off the stems of the shiso leaves and cut them in half lengthwise. Halving them makes the julienned strips shorter and much easier to eat. Once finely julienned, immediately soak them in water to prevent discoloration from oxidation. Next, halve the myoga lengthwise and cut out the core diagonally. Removing the core ensures a beautiful, clean julienne. Don't waste the core—slice it thinly lengthwise and julienne it as well. Since myoga also has some bitterness, place it in the same bowl of water with the shiso. Similarly, slice the ginger as thinly as possible, stack the slices, and cut them into fine julienne strips before adding them to the bowl. Mix everything together, change the water about three times to thoroughly remove any bitterness, and drain well in a colander.

Mixing the All-Purpose Sesame Sauce

Next, we will make the special sesame sauce, which is the key to this shabu-shabu dish. First, place 3 tbsp of mirin in a microwave-safe container and microwave at 500W for 1.5 minutes to cook off the alcohol, yielding about 2 tbsp of nikiri mirin (boiled-off mirin). Being careful not to burn yourself, transfer this mirin to a bowl. Add 2 tbsp of soy sauce (approx. 30ml), 1.5 tbsp of rice vinegar (approx. 22.5ml; regular vinegar works too), 1/2 tbsp of sugar (approx. 5g), 1 tsp of chili oil (approx. 5ml), 1 tsp of sesame oil (approx. 5ml), 1 tsp of grated garlic (approx. 5g; tubed garlic is fine), and 1 tbsp of ground white sesame seeds (approx. 7g). Mix these ingredients thoroughly with a spoon or spatula until there are no lumps. This completes the special shabu-shabu sauce, featuring a refreshing acidity combined with a rich, spicy kick that makes it absolutely irresistible.

Tips for Poaching Juicy Pork

This is a crucial step to ensure the meat turns out incredibly tender. Once you bring a pot of water to a boil, turn off the heat. The most important tip is to let the water temperature drop to around 80°C (176°F) before adding the meat. If the temperature is too high, the pork will lose its moisture, become tough, and lose its juiciness. We are using 250g of thinly sliced pork loin. Gently spread out each slice and add them to the water one by one. If you dump them all in at once, they will clump together and cook unevenly. Take about 30 seconds to let them gently swim in the hot water to cook slowly. Remove each piece as soon as it is cooked through. Never shock the cooked meat in water; let it cool naturally. Placing the pork on a tray and covering it tightly with plastic wrap will prevent it from drying out, keeping it moist and tender as it cools.

Easy Microwaved Eggplant with Color Retention

Next, we prepare the melt-in-your-mouth eggplant. Since eggplant (2 pieces, approx. 300g) discolors easily, the trick is to prep it at the very end once all other ingredients are ready. First, cut off the stems. Then, take a bamboo skewer or chopstick and poke it deep into the bottom of the eggplant. This helps it cook faster and prevents it from bursting while microwaving. For thicker eggplants, poking them in two spots is even more effective. Place the eggplant on a sheet of plastic wrap, drizzle with a little sesame oil, and coat the entire surface thoroughly with your hands. This sesame oil coating not only adds a rich aroma but also helps retain the vibrant color during cooking. The thermal effect of the oil quickly raises the surface temperature, keeping the beautiful purple color intact. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, place it on a plate, and microwave at 600W for 3 to 4 minutes. Flipping it over halfway through (around 1.5 minutes) ensures even cooking. It will be extremely hot after microwaving, so handle with care and immediately plunge it into ice water to cool rapidly.

Combining the Ingredients and Sauce

Once all the ingredients have cooled, it's time for the final mixing. Tear the moist, cooled pork into bite-sized pieces by hand and place them in a large bowl. Take the eggplant, which has been thoroughly chilled in ice water, and gently pat the surface dry with a paper towel. The microwaved eggplant retains an incredibly beautiful purple color and is amazingly soft to the touch. Tear the eggplant lengthwise into bite-sized strips by hand and add them to the bowl with the pork. Pour a generous amount of the prepared special sesame sauce over them. Using chopsticks, gently but thoroughly toss everything together so that the sauce evenly coats both the pork and the eggplant. The juicy meat and melting texture of the eggplant blend beautifully with the sauce, releasing a mouthwatering aroma even at this stage.

Tasting the Herb-Loaded Chilled Pork Shabu

Now for the final plating and tasting! Mound the pork and eggplant onto a plate along with the sauce to create some height. Top generously with the well-drained shiso, myoga, and ginger. The contrast of green and red is visually stunning and highly appetizing. Finally, sprinkle some white sesame seeds to taste, and this gorgeous 'Chilled Pork Shabu-Shabu with Herbs' is complete. Grab a generous bite of pork, eggplant, and a mountain of herbs all together with your chopsticks, coat it in the sauce, and enjoy. The tender, moist meat and juicy, melting eggplant pair beautifully with the crisp, refreshing aroma of the herbs and the rich sesame sauce. The speaker couldn't help but let out a heartfelt 'Delicious!' upon tasting it. This is an incredibly luxurious chilled shabu-shabu that is refreshing and easy to eat even on the hottest summer days.

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