Sukiyaki is Japan's classic communal hot pot, traditionally cooked right at the table in a shallow cast iron pan so everyone can help themselves as it bubbles away. Paper-thin slices of beef are simmered briefly in a sweet-savoury broth of soy sauce, sugar and mirin alongside tofu, shiitake mushrooms, leafy greens and glassy shirataki noodles, then - in the most traditional style - dipped in a bowl of raw whisked egg before eating, which cools the food slightly and adds a silky, custardy coating.
It's a dish built for sharing and for cold nights, the sort of thing families gather around during winter. There's something lovely about the ritual of it - cooking a little at a time, everyone reaching in with their chopsticks, the broth getting richer as the meal goes on.
You don't need special equipment to make a very good version of this at home - just a wide shallow pan or electric skillet on the table, thinly sliced beef from your butcher (ask for 'hot pot' or 'shabu shabu' cut) and a bit of patience with the prep. Everything else comes together quickly once you're at the table.
