Sukiyaki Kyushu

Ingredients are enough to make two large skillets worth! The key to good sukiyaki is getting very thin cuts of the beef. An expensive cut of beef is not needed as the sauce dominates the flavor. Freeze the roast the night before the meal. Allow it to thaw a couple of hours before shaving/slicing. I do this by hand with a very sharp knife and a pair of oven mitts. There's a technique to it. It's difficult but worth it. The frozen slices will quickly thaw. (Note: Local butchers typically won't be able to slice it this thin. They have the equipment but they won't use it on raw meat. If they offer to do it with a saw, the slices won't be thin enough.) Cook cellophane noodles about 8' then drain Slice all veggies and tofu to bite size chunks. Cut chinese cabbage to remove fibrous center. Combine soy, aji-mirin (sweet white wine can be used as a substitue), and sugar to the proprotions of 4 soy:3 sugar:2 aji-mirin. I find for a large skillet 1/2c soy, 3/8c sugar and 1/4c of Aji is the right amount of sauce. Add the sauce meat and veggies into a hot skillet (350deg electric skillet, med heat gas/electric stove). Stir to get as much of the content into the sauce, especially the meat. Cover and stir every 5 minutes making sure to break apart the meat slices. After about 15' or until the meat and veggies look done, add the noodles for the last 2 minutes or so. Put the skillet on the table, use fresh, raw and stirred eggs as the dipping/cooling sauce, and serve with Japanese steamed white rice.