Recipe(tried): Authentic Sukiyaki and correction ...

Here's an authentic version of Japanese sukiyaki. The meat and vegetables are NEVER cooked beforehand, and this dish is NEVER served with noodles (on the other hand, shabu-shabu and other hot pot dishes like udon-suki are served with noodles towards the end of the meal).

Also, the correct pronounciation of Japanese rice wine is sake (as in sa-kay), NOT saki (this word means "ahead" or "pointed end", depending on how it's used).

Jody, if you really want to learn about Japanese food, I'd suggest that you purchase a really good Japanese cookbook like "Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art" by Shizuo Tsuji. Don't rely on the Internet--it's full of misinformation!

Authentic Japanese Sukiyaki
(serves 4)

Sukiyaki and other hot pot dishes are cooked at the table and the diners are free to dip their chopsticks into the pot to get what they want to eat. A small bowl to place the food from the pot is given to each person. For sukiyaki, each bowl will contain a raw egg, which the Japanese will crack and beat/mix at the table to use as a "dip". Now, I'm not suggesting that you serve raw egg, but this is the authentic way the Japanese eat sukiyaki.400-500 grams thinly sliced beef
1-2 pkg. shirataki *
1-2 blocks firm or grilled tofu
100 grams shiitake mushrooms (fresh if available)
2 stalks Japanese scallions
1 bunch chrysanthemum stalks (substitute spinach or any other greens)
warishita or sukiyaki stock (1/2 cup each of Japanese soy sauce and mirin/Japanese sweet cooking wine, 2 tablespoons sugar)
4 eggs
sake (Japanese rice wine), dashi (Japanese stock made from kombu/kelp and katsuobushi/bonito flakes) to taste

* Shirataki resemble translucent noodles but are made from a type of Japanese yam called devil's tongue1. Prepare the warishita or sukiyaki stock -- pour mirin into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame and add the soy sauce and sugar; bring to a boil again. Remove and set aside.

2. Boil the shiitake (if you're using the dried type, rehydrate them in hot water for about 15 minutes) and set aside. Remove the stems and slice them into bite-sized pieces.

3. Slice the tofu blocks into bite-sized pieces, about 1-2 centimeters and set aside.

4. Slice the scallions into 1 centimeter pieces on the diagonal and set aside. Also, cut the chrysanthemum stems or spinach into bite-sized pieces.

5. Arrange the beef, shiitake, tofu, scallions,
greens, and shirataki on a large plate and place it next to the hot pot.

6. Add half of the warishita/sukiyaki stock to a well-heated pot; bring to a boil. Carefully place the sliced beef--when the beef is cooked (when its color changes), each person will dip the meat in the beaten egg before eating it. (I'd suggest that you skip this portion, but since I'm giving you an authentic version, I'm choosing to go all the way.)

7. Add the rest of the stock and ingredients and bring to a boil. Add the sake, mirin, and dashi to taste and enjoy!